SEARED BLACKFISH w/TOM WATER, HERBS & OLIVES

By BobD

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds very ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
• 1 small, bushy rosemary sprig, leaves and stem roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed
• 4 blackfish fillets, or other firm white fish, 6 to 8 ounces each, pin bones removed
• Black pepper
• Pinch ground Turkish or Syrian chile pepper (like Urfa or Aleppo, available at most good spice or Middle Eastern food shops)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for serving
• 1/2 cup pitted, chopped black olives
• Mint leaves, torn, for garnish
• Basil leaves, torn, for garnish
• Flaky sea salt or fleur de sel, for serving.

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. To make the tomato water, line a colander with a thin dish towel and place it over a bowl. Put the tomatoes, rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the colander and mix and squash the mixture gently with your hands (the less you squash, the clearer the liquid will be). Refrigerate for 8 hours or leave it in a cool room for 4 hours. Cover and refrigerate the tomato water until ready to use, and reserve the tomatoes for making sauce.

2. Season the fish with salt, black pepper and chili pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the oil. After 1 minute, place the fillets in the skillet. Scatter the olives around the pan. Cook the fish, without moving it, for 5 minutes. Gently flip the fillets and cook until just opaque, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the fillets and olives to a platter. Spoon a little of the tomato water over the fish and sprinkle with mint and basil. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some flaky salt.