Let’s be honest: fennel is a prima donna. She has no intention of being in the background. She will make her presence known. She will be the star. When preparing Fish with Fennel I keep this in mind, using ingredients that complement the fennel and do not interfere with any of her star power. In the original usage in opera, prima donna (first lady) was the star — the one the people came to see. That is the connotation of prima donna I intend.
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I choose to accent the fennel by baking it with tomato and lemon balanced with a bit of onion. The acidity of the tomato and lemon brings out the taste of the fennel. With the exception of salt, pepper and olive oil, that is it. A simple but flavorful preparation of any white fish you want to use.
Notes on Ingredients
White Fish
This recipe works with a wide variety of white fish. Useful given that not all of us have easy access to a steady supply of fresh fish. Halibut, barramundi, cod, trout all work well with this dish.
Fennel
I call for two medium size bulbs of fennel. Thinly sliced, this should give plenty of flavor. Remember to reserve some of the fronds for garnish and a bit of extra taste.
Tomatoes
Intermixing yellow and red tomatoes makes this a very attractive dish. But obviously, use the best you have available.
Notes on Technique
Skillet
A low sided, sloped oven proof baker (or skillet) is needed for this dish. I find an oval one to be best as it keeps the vegetable juices close to to fish.
Baking
Notice the baking of this dish is a three step process. The first step is to bake the vegetables lightly covered with foil for 20 minutes. This releases the moisture and helps blend flavors. The second step bakes the vegetables for an extra 20 minutes without the foil to fully cook the vegetables. Lastly, the fish is slipped under the vegetables in the skillet and baked for 10-15 minutes, as needed.
Timing the Fish Fillets
James Beard recommended an easy guide of 10 minutes baking for an inch of fish fillet. I find that an excellent starting point. In addition to the thickness of the fish, some are a bit tougher and need a bit more time. Barramundi is an example. It needs a bit more cooking to tenderize.
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Baked Fish with Fennel
Fennel is the star, try not to get in her way!
Ingredients
- 2 medium fennel bulbs
- 2 white fish fillets (3-4 ounces)
- 2 medium red tomatoes (see note)
- 2 medium yellow tomatoes (see note)
- 2 medium yellow onions
- lemon juice (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Slice the fennel and onions into thin slices (~ 0.5 cm). Chop and reserve some of the fennel fronds for a garnish.
- Slice the tomatoes into slices about twice as thick (~ 1.0 cm)
- Using a low profile oven proof skillet (oval is best, but not necessary) coat the bottom with olive oil, then layer with the fennel and onion on the bottom. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with the tomatoes intermixing the yellow and red slices. Again, salt and pepper to taste.
- Loosely cover the skillet with aluminum foil, bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and then bake for another 20 minutes. While the vegetables are baking prepare the fish by salting and allow to rest.
- Remove skillet from the oven, using a spatula gently lift the vegetables enough from the bottom of the skillet to slide the fish beneath the vegetables. Squeeze the lemon juice on top of all ingredients.
- Return the fish and vegetables back to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes till done. Exact timing will depend on the thickness and type of fish.
- When finished, remove from oven, garnish with fronds and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Tomatoes: Interspersing the yellow and red tomatoes is visually appealing. But if not available, one color works fine,
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 286Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 7gSugar: 14gProtein: 42g
Calculated Nutrition is estimated.
