Mediterranean Roasted Fish & Vegetables Recipe

Here's a roasted fish entree plus side dish all in one package. Besides the convenience of one roasting pan, both the fish and the vegetables get the benefit of their flavors mingling as they cook side by side. The recipe calls for a firm white fish, such as striped bass or cod, but salmon would also work beautifully with the fennel, potatoes and tomatoes.

By: Ruth Cousineau

6 servings

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
1 large onion, sliced
Onions Yellow/ Brown Fresh
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6 small all-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped, juice reserved
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs (see Tips)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1½ pounds striped bass, halibut or cod (see Tips), skinned and cut into 6 portions

Preparation

Active 30 m
Ready In 1 h 30 m

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mince 2 garlic cloves and place in a small bowl. Whisk in 1½ tablespoons oil and anchovy paste, if using. Combine fennel and onion in a 9-by-13-inch (or similar-size 3-quart) baking dish; add the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Roast the fennel mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Add potatoes, tomatoes and their juice, water, ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, 35 to 40 minutes more. Meanwhile, mince the remaining garlic clove and place in a small bowl. Add breadcrumbs, fennel seeds, lemon zest, the remaining ½ tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Mix with your fingers until blended. When the potatoes are tender, place fish on top of the vegetables and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over all. Roast, uncovered, until the fish is opaque in the center and the breadcrumbs are browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips: To make your own fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. To make fine breadcrumbs, process until very fine. To make dry breadcrumbs, spread coarse or fine breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs or about ⅓ cup dry breadcrumbs. For store-bought coarse dry breadcrumbs we like Ian's brand, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them at well-stocked supermarkets.

Look for U.S. wild-caught or farmed striped bass, U.S. wild-caught Pacific halibut or U.S. Pacific cod or Atlantic cod from Iceland and the northeast Arctic. For more information, visit Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch at seafoodwatch.org.

From: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 1999