Haddock in Tomato Sauce
Blog: www.nextinlime.com
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 g) skinless haddock fillets - cut longer fillets into halves (Note A)
- ¾ teaspoon salt - divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - divided, freshly cracked
- 2.5 tablespoons neutral cooking oil - divided
- 1 small (80 g) onion - finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - finely minced, I use garlic press
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - adjust quantity to spice preference (Note B)
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 8 ounces (230 g) red cherry or grape tomatoes - cut into halves
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ¼ piece of chicken bouillon cube - or use ¼ teaspoon of chicken base or granulated bouillon
- ¾ teaspoon lemon zest - divided, measure lightly without pressing into the spoon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - fresh, not bottled
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro - divided, parsley also works
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- Pat the haddock fillets dry with a paper towel. Mix ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and season both sides of the fillets with it.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wide non-stick skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Place the fish in the pan, sear for 35 to 45 seconds per side if the fillets are thin, or 1 minute per side for fillets that are around 1 inch thick. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In a wide sauté pan, heat the remaining 1.5 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir 1 to 2 minutes.
- Next, add halved cherry or grape tomatoes, stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until a few of them release some juice.
- Add water, chicken bouillon (cube/base/granules), ½ teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste the sauce, and if you'd like a bit of kick, add some more red pepper flakes.
- Carefully place the seared haddock fillets into the sauce. Spoon some sauce and tomatoes over the fish tops. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook 4 to 7 minutes (depending on fillet thickness) or until the fish flakes with a fork.
- Turn off the heat, keep the pan covered, let the fish rest for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest.
- Dish out the haddock into deep plates, spoon sauce and tomatoes over, and serve immediately with rice, potatoes, crusty bread or pasta. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Notes
Note A: Haddock – If using frozen haddock, make sure it’s completely thawed. It’s a delicate fish, long fillets can be tricky to handle, so I cut those in half.
Note B: Red Pepper/Chili Flakes – I usually add double the quantity for a little kick. Mentioned less because you can adjust up after tasting the sauce later, but not down. Don't omit entirely, though.