Busy Days and a Fish Gratin

Do you ever feel like you're getting busier and busier all the time? I sure do. Lately I've taken on some new responsibilities, and I've been so busy I don't know if I'm coming or going. Time and energy are in short supply, to say the least. But at the end of these long, hard days my body craves something delicious and nourishing more than ever. So I've been making lots of dinners that I can throw together in minutes and then pop in the oven to bake unattended. Things like baked chicken drumsticks, roast pork tenderloin, and baked fish fillets. Simple. Satisfying. Above all, easy. This speedy supper was such a hit we had it twice in the last week. I hope you like it as much as we did.


Haddock Gratin with Olives, Capers & Tomatoes
Printable Recipe

1 cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
1 tablespoon capers
2 cloves garlic, grated
½ teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 1 to 1 ¼-inch thick haddock fillets, weighing about 6 ounces each, skinned and boned
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Toss together the tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, oregano, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread half of the tomato mixture evenly in the bottom of a 10-inch oval baking dish. Season the fillets generously with salt and pepper and arrange them in the baking dish in a single layer. Spoon the remaining tomato mixture evenly over the fillets. Toss together the breadcrumbs and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a small bowl, making sure that the breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Stir in the Parmegiano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the fillets in the baking dish. Gently tap the dish on the counter a few times so that the topping settles. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the fillets are just cooked through. The fillets will begin to flake when they are just cooked through. Serve immediately.

Serves 2. Serve with a side of pasta. If haddock is unavailable, you can substitute any other firm-fleshed white fish.