Braised Fish With Fennel And Tomato Food

SNAPPER WITH FENNEL, ONION AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pat the fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onions and fennel until tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and herbes de Provence and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, another 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine, chicken stock and lemon juice and let bubble for 1 minute.
• Nestle the fish fillets into the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and top each with a pat of butter. Place into the oven and cook until the fish is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Broil just until a bit crusty, about 1 more minute. Squeeze lemon juice on the fish and serve.

30-MINUTE COD WITH LEMONY BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim the tops and bottoms from the fennel bulbs, reserving a handful of the fronds for garnish. Quarter the bulbs. Set each quarter on its side and slice off most of the core. Cut the quarters into wedges about 1-inch thick (don't worry if some pieces fall off the wedge-use those too).
• Put 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Place over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the fennel and cook without stirring until fennel is brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir and let the fennel continue to cook until some more pieces brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of pepper. Lower the heat to medium, cover the skillet, and cook 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the cod with salt and pepper and place on top of the fennel. Cover the pan again and simmer, adding more liquid occasionally if the pan is dry, until the fennel is very tender and the cod is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the reserved fennel fronds (you should have about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons) and remove the zest from the lemon. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cool. Mix the fennel fronds and lemon zest into the breadcrumbs until combined.
• Juice the lemon. Roughly chop the olives.
• When the cod and fennel are done, stir in the lemon juice and the olives. Remove from the heat and let stand for about 1 minute to warm the olives. Transfer the fennel and cod to serving bowls and top the fish with the toasted breadcrumbs. Pour any remaining pan juices over the fennel.

COD WITH FENNEL, DILL AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rinse fish and squeeze lemon juice over it. Season the fish with a little salt and reserve.
• Heat a large oven proof pan over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, fennel and onion and season with salt. Saute fennel and onions 7 to 8 minutes then add white wine and reduce a minute, then add broth. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Set fish into pan and spoon juices over the cod. Add a few sprigs dill to the broth and set the pan into the hot oven to cook. Cook 12 minutes, until fish is opaque. To serve, arrange cod on plate, top with vegetables and chopped fresh dill.

BRAISED FISH, POT-ROAST-STYLE

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it is hot, sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, and add it to the pot. Cook, undisturbed, until it is well browned, 5 or 6 minutes. (If you're using halibut fillet, and it has skin, brown the nonskin side.) Transfer it to a plate, browned side up.
• Add the onion, thyme, saffron, carrots, fennel and potatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and smoked paprika, and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens a bit, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and let it bubble away until it almost disappears.
• Add the stock, bring to a boil and let it bubble vigorously until the liquid reduces by about a third, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers; when the vegetables are nearly tender - about 10 minutes later - nestle the fish, browned side up, among the vegetables; keep the browned crust above the liquid. Cook, undisturbed, until the fish and vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer the fish to a cutting board, and divide the vegetables among shallow bowls. Slice the fish and put it on top of the vegetables. Taste the cooking liquid, and adjust the seasoning; ladle it over all, garnish with the parsley and serve.

SEA BASS AND SPICY TOMATO SAUCE OVER BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Chop enough fennel fronds, if using, to measure 2 tablespoons. Quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Cook fennel bulbs, sliced onion, and anchovy paste in 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until coated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, then add broth and braise, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove lid and boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer fennel mixture to a 1 1/2-quart shallow gratin or other shallow 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• While fennel mixture is braising, cook chopped onion, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste in remaining teaspoon oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Arrange fish fillets on top of fennel mixture and season with salt. Spoon tomato sauce over fish. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper, then cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven until fish is just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with fennel fronds.

BRAISED FISH WITH FENNEL, TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in metal baking pan. Season fish with salt and pepper; place atop vegetables. Cover with foil. Bake until fish is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Using spatula, transfer fish to plate; cover with foil and keep warm. Place baking pan with vegetables atop stovetop burner; bring to boil. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Mix in lemon juice, oil and 1 tablespoon basil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place one fish fillet on each of 4 plates. Top with vegetable mixture, dividing equally. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and olives.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rinse and dry the fish. Season all over, then stuff the cavity with some fennel slices, lemon and basil. Scatter the olives and any leftover fennel, basil and lemon into a roasting tin.
• Place the sea bass on top. Drizzle each fish with the oil and bake for about 30 mins or until cooked through and starting to brown.

BRAISED SQUID WITH FENNEL & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Cook the fennel seeds, onion, fennel, chilli and preserved lemon with a pinch of salt for 5 mins until softened and fragrant, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook down for a few mins, then turn down the heat and add the squid. Cook gently for 3 mins, then add the wine and reduce by half. Add the stock and herbs, bring to a simmer, cover loosely with baking parchment and cook for 1½ hrs, until the squid is tender and meaty.
• To make the mayo, whisk the yolks, garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt until combined, then add the squid ink and whisk again. Slowly whisk in the oil until you have a thick, silky mayo. Serve the squid with rice and a spoon of mayo, with fronds of dill scattered over. Keep leftover mayo in the fridge (to use within one day).

BAKED SALMON WITH FENNEL & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Trim the fronds from the fennel and set aside. Cut the fennel bulbs in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Cook in boiling salted water for 10 mins, then drain well. Chop the fennel fronds roughly, then mix with the parsley and lemon zest.
• Spread the drained fennel over a shallow ovenproof dish, then add the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, then bake for 10 mins. Nestle the salmon among the veg, sprinkle with lemon juice, then bake 15 mins more until the fish is just cooked. Scatter over the parsley and serve.

BRAISED FISH WITH FENNEL AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Prepare braising liquid Pour the oil, wine, and water into a large (13-inch) skillet, then add the fennel, tomatoes, garlic, and lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over moderate heat until the tomatoes begin to fall apart and the fennel softens, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Braise fish Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and arrange the fillets in the pan, partially submerging them in the sauce. Cover and simmer until the fish is opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes (or 8 to 10 for thicker fillets).
• Serve Spoon some of the braising sauce into a shallow bowl, then top with fish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper.
• Buy four fillets of the same size (4 to 5 ounces each) so they cook at the same rate. A 1 1/2-inch thickness is ideal, allowing the fillets to cook evenly inside and out. Much thicker and the exterior could toughen before the center has cooked.
• If the skin on your lemons is not too bitter (check by tasting a washed one), you may want to leave it on; this will help the slices hold their shape. Otherwise, remove the rind before slicing.