Costa Brava Poached White Fish

Gently poaching fish in a flavorful liquid just about guarantees a perfect outcome—juicy, tasty fillets. Bonus: you also get vegetables and a delicious sauce, all in one pan.

For this Costa Brava Poached White Fish, the sautéed peppers, onions, and tomatoes seasoned with paprika provide a little taste of the northeastern coast of Spain.

This recipe was developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook. Have a comment, question, or idea? Email Kate at healthycook@cspinet.org.

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
¾ tsp. kosher salt
1½ lbs. tilapia or other firm white fish, skin removed and cut into chunks
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

In a large, deep pan over medium-high heat, sauté the onions, peppers, and tomatoes in the oil, stirring often, until they soften and start to brown, 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and paprika. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in 1 cup of water and the salt.
Push the vegetables to one side. Add the fish to the open part of the pan. Spoon the vegetables over the fish. Gently shake the pan to distribute the fish evenly. Reduce the heat to low and very gently simmer until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 5-10 minutes.
Serve with the lemon.