First things first, what’s with the “Not-Greek”?? Well, my parents have a recipe for Greek Fish, a while fish baked with feta, olives and fresh tomatoes. When I described this recipe to my dad, he said “ah, like Greek fish!” No, not really I replied; though I can see the similarity in appearance and ingredients, the flavor and spirit of the two dishes is quite different.
In any case, here is our “Not-Greek Fish”:
Ingredients:
- 4 White Fish Filets, I like to use Swai
- 1 large onion
- Dried Basil
- Dried Oregano
- 4 Roma Tomatoes
- Parmesan or Romano cheese
- White wine- pick a flavor you like!
Directions:
In an over-safe pan (the pan will go in the oven later) melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Slice the onions into quarter-inch diameter, half-rings. Don’t let me hear of anyone actually measuring their onions! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the onions when the butter and oil foams, sauteing until they are translucent and starting to go limp. Pour white wine over the onions, and allow the alcohol to cook off- a minute or so? Turn off the heat, and lay the fish filets over top of the onions. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Cover the fish with the chopped tomatoes (Did I forget to mention chopping the tomatoes? I like half-inch cubes). Season the tomatoes with basil, oregano and salt. Place the entire pan in the oven, at 350 degrees on broil. The higher the shelf is in the over, the better the tomatoes will roast and wilt. Bake until the fish is done- the way I tell is probing it with a fork, if it flakes off it is cooked, if it holds together… like raw fish… it’s not done! Overdone fish is dry, tacky and generally bad. I err on the under-cooked side for my fish, but the ideal is a moist, tender, flaky perfection. Be aware that the thermal mass of the dish will continue to cook the fish even after it is removed from the oven, removing early is always better than removing late.
I like to serve this dish over Rice Pilaf with white wine, usually the same one I used to cook the onions.
The Parmesan cheese can be added in a number of places. I have added it between the onions and the fish, over top of the tomatoes before baking, and just grated over top at the table. All are good, but I think my favorite was between the onions and the fish- more subtle, adding complexity to the overall flavors without over-powering the dish.