Skip to main content

Poached Fish With Spinach in Chili-Tomato Sauce

4.6

(12)

Image may contain Human Person Plant Food Meal Dish Vegetable and Broccoli
Photo by Susan Bell

I like this one because it's a one-pan dish—you will need a pan with a lid. You can use a can of tomatoes instead of making the purée if you wish, but puréeing the tomatoes produces a better result. You don't need to be precise with the quantities for this dish at all—a handful of cherry tomatoes, add some onion, etc. The important thing is to have the lid to keep in steam and heat so you get a very nice lightly cooked fish. You don't want to overcook it. I've used hake but you can use any white fish like cod, sea bass, halibut or even salmon. It's simple but tasty, and the kind of thing you could easily rustle up for yourself or friends. You can use any green veg but it works well with fennel—sautéed in a pan or slow-baked, or added to the pan and cooked with the fish and tomatoes. This is a great one for a novice cook.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 bulb of fennel, finely sliced
1 fresh red chili, finely sliced (deseeded for less heat, if you like)
2 cups tomato purée from fresh or canned tomatoes
2 handfuls (approx. 6 ounces) of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 (5-ounce) white fish fillets, such as cod, hake, or sea bass, skinned and pin-boned
1/2 cup black or green olives, pitted
A handful of baby spinach

For the topping:

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped or grated
Zest of 1 lemon, plus a squeeze of juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a pan on medium heat and sauté the onion, fennel and chili for 2 to 3 minutes, to soften. Add the tomato purée and cherry tomatoes. Simmer for a further 4 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.

    Step 2

    Arrange the fish fillets in the pan, on top of the tomato sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and starting to flake. Just before serving, carefully stir in the olives and baby spinach and heat for a further minute.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile combine the parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and juice in a bowl.

    Step 4

    To serve, arrange the fish fillets on plates and spoon over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the herby topping, and add a squeeze of lemon juice to finish.

    Step 5

    Enjoy this with some additional steamed greens.

This image may contain Human, Person, Eating, and Food
From Cook. Nourish. Glow. © 2016 by Amanda Freer. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.
Reprinted with permission from Harper Wave.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
This vegan version of the classic North African scramble uses soft silken tofu instead of eggs without any sacrifice of flavor.
A little shrimp paste goes a long, long, long way in this delicious vegetable dish.
Traditionally, this Mexican staple is simmered for hours in an olla, or clay pot. You can achieve a similar result by using canned beans and instant ramen.
A satisfying weeknight dinner from Tiffy Chen. Serve with rice or noodles.
Love a tuna melt? Meet your new favorite nachos—fast and filling all thanks to tinned fish.
The clams’ natural briny sweetness serves as a surprising foil for the tender fritter batter—just be sure to pull off the tough outer coating of the siphon.
Scoop up these warmly spiced chickpeas with any flatbread or spoon them onto rice.
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.