I’m always a big fan of tray bakes. Partly because all of the flavours mingle and get to know one another in the oven before moving to the dinner table, but mostly because I have no dishwasher.
I cook everything from scratch and spend most of my day either prepping, cooking or writing about food. In my free time I wash dishes. So this gorgeous fish dish is a winner on so many levels.
I’ve used whiting, a flat, lean fish that can be quite flaky. I’ve folded it over to give it more presence on the tray, I’ve also cooked trout and bass this way. Flat fish like these are perfect for stuffing. I sometimes make a paste of herbs, lemon zest and butter then spread it on the fillets before rolling up and then baking.
A firmer, meaty fish like cod or pollock would be perfect too and would not need to be folded over itself. It’s nice not to rely on meaty white fish all the time though.
The more delicate fish have their own great qualities with finer taste and texture than their sturdy cousins. For this recipe I bought the fish at the market for €10, such a bargain for that amount and quality. It was incredibly fresh and as with all fish that fresh, it simply smelled of the sea and was not in the least bit “fishy”.
I love chorizo and like to add small amounts for big impact. Buy a great quality chorizo and you will be rewarded with amazing flavour and delicious fat that renders the minute it hits a hot oven, seasoning everything in its path.
The fish is kept perfectly moist by the tomatoes and chorizo with some sweet pepper for texture and taste.
I served this dish with pureed cauliflower and Parmesan. Another lovely addition would be to add some cooked cannellini or butter beans to the tray near the end of cooking time. The beans would imbibe the sweet paprika spiked tomato sauce and add some extra carbohydrates to the meal.
I’ve given details below, if you don’t already know how, to remove skin from fish. It’s so easy once you’ve practised a few times and there are now so many videos online showing exactly how to. You can of course ask your fish monger.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
8-12 Whiting fillets or similar, see above for suggestions
100g chorizo
250g cherry tomatoes
1 pepper, red or yellow
15g small bunch fresh basil
To serve: crusty white bread
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the skin from the whiting by placing the fillet on the chopping board flesh side up. Use a sharp, flexible if possible, knife. Make a small nick at the tail end but don’t cut all the way through to the skin, this will give you something to grip. Carefully work towards the top of the fillet from the tail end, gripping firmly while using a saw-like motion with the knife.
The skin should come away in one piece. Remove any bones you can feel. Repeat with each fillet. Place each fillet on a large oiled baking tray. Fold each one in half with the tail tucked underneath to create a small compact rectangle.
Place a thin slice of chorizo on top of each one then scatter the tomatoes, chopped pepper and remaining chorizo around the fish. Bake in the hot oven for 12-15 minutes until the chorizo is crisp, tomatoes ready to burst and the fish opaque. Scatter with torn basil leaves and serve right away with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
