Fish Nicoise

Name: Fish Nicoise
Ingredients: Two 6-ounce tilapia fillets (or any other white-fleshed fish); Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 fennel bulb, stalks trimmed and discarded, halved vertically, cored, and sliced as thinly as possible (see Notes); 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup dry, white wine or vermouth; Once 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice; 1/4 cup chopped, pitted Nicoise or other brine-cured black olives; 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained; 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves (see Notes); Lemon wedges for serving

11 ingredients

21 steps

Ingredients

Two 6-ounce tilapia fillets (or any other white-fleshed fish)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fennel bulb, stalks trimmed and discarded, halved vertically, cored, and sliced as thinly as possible (see Notes)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry, white wine or vermouth
Once 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 cup chopped, pitted Nicoise or other brine-cured black olives
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil leaves (see Notes)
Lemon wedges for serving

Directions

1

Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and set aside.
2

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet (that can be covered) over medium heat.
3

When it shimmers, add the fennel, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until fennel starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
4

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5

Add the wine and raise heat to medium-high.
6

Simmer until wine reduces slightly, about 2 minutes.
7

Add the tomatoes along with their juice.
8

Simmer until the sauce thickens and the fennel is soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
9

Reduce heat to medium-low.
10

Stir in the olives and capers.
11

Add the fish, nestling it into the sauce.
12

Cover skillet and simmer until fish is opaque all the way through, 8 to 10 minutes.
13

Fish overcooks quickly, so watch carefully.
14

For fillets thinner than one inch, check at the 7-minute mark.
15

If the fish is opaque, it's done.
16

Gently stir basil into the sauce, and serve with lemon wedges.
17

Make it Faster:
18

An even quicker version of this dish is Spicy Sauteed Fish with Olives and Grape tomatoes, which is ready in under 20 minutes: Salt and pepper the fish, then cook in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 3 minutes on each side.
19

Transfer to a platter and keep warm.
20

Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon red peper flakes, 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved, 1/4 cup chopped, pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives, 3 garlic cloves, minced, and the grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon to the pan and cook until the tomatoes are soft and juicy, about 3 minutes.
21

Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then spoon over the fish and serve with rice to catch all those delicious juices.