Tomato-Poached Fish With Chile Oil and Herbs
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- ¼cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
- 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1pound small, sweet tomatoes, halved
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- 1¼pounds fluke, halibut or cod, cut into 4 equal pieces
- 1cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- ½cup mint, leaves and tender stems
- Limes, halved, for serving
- Tortillas, toast or rice, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
278 calories; 17 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 750 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet (use one with a lid) over medium-high. Add garlic and shallots and cook, swirling the skillet constantly until they start to toast and turn light golden brown, 2 minutes or so. Add red-pepper flakes and swirl to toast for a few seconds. Remove from heat and transfer all but 1 tablespoon of the chile oil to a small bowl.
- Step 2
Add tomatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until they burst and start to become saucy and jammy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add fish sauce, if using, and 1½ cups water, swirling to release any of the bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet.
- Step 3
Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened but still nice and brothy, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 4
Season the fish with salt and pepper and gently lay the pieces in the brothy tomatoes. Cover the skillet and cook until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes (slightly longer for a thicker piece of fish, like halibut).
- Step 5
To serve, transfer fish and brothy tomatoes to a large shallow bowl or divide among four bowls. Drizzle with reserved chile oil, more olive oil and the crispy shallots and garlic. Top with cilantro and mint, and serve with limes for squeezing over the top. Serve with tortillas, toast or rice, if you like.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Luther
OK, this is absolutely amazing! Followed the recipe as I most always do so I an give a review based on the actual recipe and not something that bears no resemblance as so many people do. Flavors are fantastic. Messed up and left scallions and garlic in pan after draining oil. No issue at all. Also got distracted and let the tomatoes/water/fish oil cook longer. Still no issue. Mint and cilantro are a must as they add a dimension not available with substitutes. Thanks Ms. Roman!
gkarma
In the first step you make the "chili oil" and remove most of it to drizzle on top later. You use 1 tablespoon of the oil to cook the tomatoes, fish sauce and water. I had to read it a few times. You're right it's a bit confusing. It would be better if they had said: Remove the oil to a small bowl. Using the same skillet, add 1 tbsp of the reserved chili oil, and the tomatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. . . .
Brennan
OUTSTANDING! Alison Roman, you goddess you...this dish delivers on every dimension important to home cooks: - Easy to find ingredients - Easy to execute in under 30 minutes - Crunchy, substantial, and soft textures in one dish - Bright but comforting flavors Note: cilantro, mint and lime are absolute must-haves in this recipe. Fish sauce can be substituted for Worcestershire sauce or, even better, 1-2 anchovies in Step 2 (they will dissolve in tomato-water mixture).
June Wolfman
When does the chili oil go in?
David
I wasn't expecting much from this and boy was I put in my place. Holy cod! First time ever poaching fish. So easy and that sauce is so flavorful. Perfect for dipping a warm corn tortilla. Thank you, Alison. I feel like I need to write you into my will now.
Bret
I have been cooking a variation of this for years. Instead of water, I use vermouth. It gives a sweeter taste. I might suggest half water/half vermouth for this recipe.
Shirley
I just cooked this with fresh flounder. It was delicious and easy. The times in the recipe are accurate. I roasted cauliflower while this was cooking and added it to the bowl. A great dinner
Tu
The most delicious herb to use is dill in large quantities and lots of lemon or lime juice.
Connie
I watched Alison’s cooking demo at NYT food fest on YouTube and a good tip from her is to put the shallots in cold oil and heat from there, to get the shallots to crisp throughout, rather than crispy exterior and not-yet-crispy interior. Also instead of fish sauce could sub anchovies! (I added them in the beginning with the shallots and garlic, imagine could add them whilst cooking the tomatoes too, but pre-water)
Elle
To June Wolfman: In Step 1, you are making the chili oil. It’s confusing only because the author refers to red pepper flakes, not chilis. The reserved oil in that step is drizzled as directed in Step 5. Hope that helps.
Steph
This recipe is PERFECT. How do so few ingredients yield such a revelation?!? Alison Roman you are my hero.
Judy
Very flavorful! I followed the recipe with plain old super market cod, Campari tomatoes, a mix of mint, cilantro and parsley from the garden and crusty bread. I did cut back on the pepper flakes. Next time, I would double or triple the shallot and garlic for more crunch and cut the parsley a bit finer, but otherwise keep everything the same.
Jan
Delicious! I made the dish with frozen tilapia, and the fish held up well. I followed the recipe and it did not disappoint! I'll make it again.
Bill
I am always looking for new ways of preparing fish and gave this a try tonight. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly except I added a little white wine to the water used for poaching. I used halibut and served over brown rice. The toasted shallots and garlic add a lot. A real keeper.
CB
Made this tonight for some friends and it’s so delicious. I used Lingcod, which was a fresh West Coast fish. Also added about 1/2 c dry white wine to make up the 1/2 c water. Served it with fresh tortillas. This recipe is a keeper!!
East Coast Dawn
Made with cod, fresh habenero and a mix of fresh and italian pureed tomatoes. I used thai basil instead of cilantro and it was a truly wonderful way to cook a white fish!
lindsay modifications
Sub dill for cilantro
Dean
I made this to recipe with Lake Erie walleye. So good! Like others suggested I would ramp up the shallots and garlic to add more crunch to the plate. Will definitely add to the roatation!
Ray
I will definitely make this again. I added the cilantro to the sauce but put fresh mint on the finished dish. The fish sauce is a must. Served the fish (cod) with sauce over rice. I forgot the lime but will try it next time.
Cookdaddy
Very subtle.
Jess K
This meal is like you went to an expensive restaurant and had an amazing cod dish. This cod dish would be worth $40 at a nice restaurant. You’ve got to try and it— and don’t skip creating the crispy garlic and shallots, that component takes the dish to another level.
Annette
We loved this recipe but thought the dried red pepper overpowered the taste of the delicate halibut. Next time I will skip it.
Annette
We loved the recipe
Karen Kressenberg
5 stars for sure. We used halibut and this was a light but complex dish. One note: I used the fish sauce and would continue to do so. It’s subtle but an important part of the flavor!
PattyD
I first made a version of this from a meal kit. I stumbled upon this recipe when trying to find the original one I used, and it's now a favorite. I often use tilapia because I'm on a budget & get a freezer family pack from Aldi occasionally that will last me a while as a single person. It's perfect whenever I need to use up a bunch of small tomatoes that are starting to wrinkle. The only change I make is using just a pinch of red pepper flakes to minimize heat.
RaymondK
hand no limes so added a frozen kaffir lime leaf - super recipe!
maya
Cooked with 1#halibut, poached for 4 minutes. Took 6-8 minutes to fry garlic and shallots. Add only 1 c of water; if sauce doesn’t thicken, add 1-2 Tbsp tomato paste and boil.
Iiari
This didn't work for me. First, 2 minutes wasn't nearly long enough to brown the shallots & garlic. The garlic was brown way before the shallots. The small tomatoes I had never broke down, thus no "sauce." Maybe my red pepper flakes are weak/old because the oil ended up tasting like - Oil. Mint and cilantro were ill matched and added little. Cod poached perfectly, however. Next time, will start shallots first, different tomatoes, wine+broth, will watch the YT video on this, have lime.
Maggie Z
Way too much chili! 1/4 tsp is plenty
KGR
So if the tomatoes are halved, how do you heat them until they burst?
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