Barramundi with Cherry Tomatoes, Leek, and Spinach
35 Minutes
〰️
35 Minutes 〰️
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 fish fillets, skin on and scales off (I used Barramundi/ use fish of choice)
1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, thinly sliced
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes (200g)
A handful of baby spinach
Olive oil, for cooking
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 390°F /180°C with the fan forced on.
Sauté the Vegetables: In a large pot, heat a generous splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped leek and garlic, sautéing until they start to soften. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to burst, releasing their juices. Stir in the baby spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach has wilted. Once everything is cooked, remove the pot from the heat, cover with a lid to keep warm, and set aside.
Prepare the Fish: Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and season the skin side with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, place the fillets skin side down. Immediately cover them with a piece of baking paper and place a heavy object on top (such as another pan or a few cans) to ensure the skin stays flat against the pan for optimal crispiness. Cook without moving for 3 minutes, ensuring the skin has a chance to become golden and crisp. Carefully remove the weight and baking paper. Check the skin, which should be golden brown. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven, keeping the fillets skin side down, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
Serve: Spoon the sautéed leek, cherry tomatoes, and spinach mixture onto plates as a base. Place a fish fillet, skin side up, on top of each vegetable base. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of salt if desired.
Notes
This dish is an easy one to customize to the number of mouths you’re feeding. Simply cook a fillet of fish per person and double or triple the vegetable base. If you end up making to much of the vegetable base, store it in a container in the fridge and use it for something else, warm it up and serve a poached egg on it with some crusty bread for breakfast for example!