Fabulous Fish

I love buying cookbooks.  However, I get easily frustrated when perusing the selection- fast dinners, five ingredients or less, healthy, gourmet, seasonal, holiday entertaining- the list of cookbook claims goes on and on.  I find this irritating because I don't want just one type of recipe for one type of food.  I want it all, all the time.  Every time I prepare food, I think it should be simplistic, delicious and healthy.  And that is exactly what this fantastic fish dish is.  It is amazingly flavorful, super easy and absolutely healthy.  The fresh ingredients along with the parsley pesto create a party in your mouth.  For this preparation I used baby heirloom tomatoes but grape or cherry tomatoes could be substituted.  A mild fish is ideal and I was able to find some delicious fluke at the fish market.  Fluke is a white fish with a thicker filet, mild flavor and nice hearty flake.  However, I have used tilapia, flounder and grouper in the past and all have worked wonderfully as well.  

This dish is perfect if you are cooking for a crowd. It is my go to dish for dinner parties or holidays.  The dish requires very little preparation and everything cooks together in the oven.  You can make the parsley pesto as far in advance as you want because the longer it marinates, the better it is.  Make as many trays as you need based on the number of people.

Fluke with Heirloom Tomatoes, Cannellini Beans and Parsley Pesto

1 pound of fluke, rinsed, patted dry and sprinkled with salt and pepper

1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed

1 package of baby heirloom tomatoes

1 tablespoon of parsley pesto (see recipe from "herb envy")

1 Lemon, slices for the fish and remaining juice

Clean the tomatoes and remove the stems if necessary.  Cut the larger tomatoes in half.  Any tomatoes that are too small to cut in half, leave whole. Mix the cannellini beans and the tomatoes together with the parsley pesto.

Cover a baking sheet with wax paper or aluminum foil leaving excess on both sides to be able to cover the tray.  Place the tomato bean mixture onto the sheet, spreading evenly.  Place the filets of fish over the mixture, spacing them evenly.  Place a lemon slice on each piece of fish and sprinkle the remaining juice from the remaining lemon over the fish. Cover and bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Monitor the fish and beans to make sure they do not dry out.  Frozen fish will take longer.  

Serve and Enjoy :)


What makes this bite better?
Essential fatty acids are named as such because they are necessary to maintain optimal health.  The essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, must be obtained through the diet because the body does not have the ability to make them on its own.  Fish is the best dietary source of essential fatty acids, providing not only omega-6 but also omega-3s (EPA and DHA).  These fatty acids have been known to decrease blood clotting, aid in immune system and nervous system functioning and reduce risk of heart disease.

Wardlaw G. and Smith, A.  Contemporary Nutrition.  6th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2006.  164-165.