eat more fish: salmon livornese

I'm not a new year's resolutions person, but I do like a reminder now and then to do better. And one of those things to make me a better person involves eating more fish. I'm always on the look out for a good fish recipe. A friend of mine had made this for me for dinner over the holidays and it was so delicious that I asked for the recipe. She used red snapper but I had some salmon filets so I used that instead and I decided to add in some lemon zest as well. It's a pretty versatile dish, so you could sub in most any fish fillet that you have on hand.

The tomatoes, capers and olives make this a tangy and flavourful sauce. I used to be a bit afraid of mixing tomatoes and fish (due to a bad fish dish my mom made when I was a kid), but that fear is definitely over. It doesn't take much preparation and the ingredients are all readily available. It's perfect for guests or just a cozy night in. Serve with steamed rice, broccoli and a nice red wine.

Want more excuses to eat fish? Here's some archive favorites:
Baked Fish with Potatoes and Rosemary
Braised Cod with Chickpeas & Corn
Miso Braised Cod with Soba Noodles
Roasted Fish with Rosemary, Olives, & Vegetables
Soy, Ginger, and Blood Orange Baked Trout Fillets

salmon livornese
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can of tomatoes
2 T capers, chopped
1/2 c sliced black olives, drained
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 lb salmon or red snapper
zest of 1 lemon
1 T lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a large pan, sauted the onion in the olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in tomatoes, capers, black olives, red pepper flakes and parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Spread 1/3 of the sauce into an 11x17 baking dish and place the fish fillets over top in a single layer. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and then pour on the remaining sauce. Top with lemon zest.

3. Bake for 15 minutes for 1/2 inch thick fillets or 30 minutes for 1 inch thick fillets. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with extra parsley and serve.

simple supper

Two posts in one day? I must be procrastinating! True. This post, however, will not have any photos because my camera's batteries were low and we were just too hungry (and lazy) to wait for anything not food related.

I met Cornelius after work in the older Italian area around East Hastings and Nanaimo today. Our fridge was empty and I figured a walk in the cold, crisp weather would do us both good. The fact that we'd definitely find something for dinner was only par for the course.

red snapper fillets with a cornmeal crust
1 large red snapper fillet (any other fish will do)
1/2 c cornmeal
1 T flour
1 t hot smoked paprika
1 T cumin
salt & pepper
1 egg
1 T olive oil

Combine the cornmeal, flour and all the spices in a shallow bowl. Put the beaten egg in another shallow bowl. Dip the fish fillet in cornmeal mixture, then in egg, and again in cornmeal mixture. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet, add fillets and cook over high heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Serve on rice with lemon wedges and steamed broccoli.