Spicy Tomato Poached Fish

If you’re craving something light, flavorful and surprisingly simple, this spicy tomato-poached fish is just the thing. It’s one of my go-to weeknight meals—healthy, satisfying and packed with bold flavor. Poaching is a gentle way to cook delicate white fish like haddock (my favorite), but cod, flounder or halibut work beautifully too. The fish simmers in a fragrant broth of white wine and water, infused with chili garlic paste and slivered shallots for depth and heat. Juicy cherry tomatoes burst into the mix, creating a rustic, spicy-sweet sauce that clings to every bite. A handful of fresh basil at the end brings it all together. Serve with crusty bread or rice to soak up the sauce—you won’t want to waste a drop.

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Course: Main Course

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves slivered
• 1 small shallot slivered
• 1-2 teaspoons chili garlic paste I like Sambal Olek or FLYBYJING Sichuan Chili Crisp
• 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/4 pounds fresh white fish haddock, halibut or cod
• 1/4 cup fresh basil thinly sliced (chiffonade)
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the slivers of garlic and shallots and cook, stirring until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the chili garlic paste and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• Place the tomatoes and a splash of olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper. Cook the tomatoes stirring occasionally, until they burst, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the water and the wine to the skillet. Stir to combine the ingredients. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper and gently lay the pieces in the sauce. Cover the skillet and cook until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, 6 -8 minutes or slightly longer for thicker pieces of fish.
• Drizzle the fish with the chile garlic sauce. Top the fish with fresh basil and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

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