Equipment
Ingredients
Fish
- 600 g firm white fish fillets, boneless and skinless
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Ragout
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 200 g leek, white and light green parts only, washed and sliced
- 250 g fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 300 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 150 ml vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 50 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Garnish
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 293 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 799 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 62 mg
- Potassium
- 1149 mg
- Calcium
- 193 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 82 mg
- Phosphorus
- 391 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 166 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 30 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 109 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 2.5 mg
- Folate
- 76 mcg
- Water
- 262 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash hands and all surfaces thoroughly after handling raw fish to prevent cross-contamination. Pat the white fish fillets completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and fennel, sautéing until they are softened and lightly caramelized, which will take about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir the minced garlic into the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes, vegetable broth, and kalamata olives. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the tomatoes soften and begin to burst.
Gently nestle the seasoned fish fillets directly into the simmering ragout. Cover the skillet tightly and poach until the fish is fully opaque and reaches a safe internal temperature of 63 degrees Celsius or 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Drizzle the fresh lemon juice over the fish and ragout, and scatter the chopped fresh parsley evenly across the top before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Poaching fish in a flavorful broth is one of the most forgiving ways to cook seafood, as the trapped steam ensures moist, tender results.
- Fennel pairs beautifully with white fish due to its mild anise flavor, which mellows and sweetens significantly as it caramelizes.
- For a richer finish, you can stir a spoonful of high-quality extra virgin olive oil directly into the broth right before serving, off the heat, to create a slight emulsion.
- When selecting your fish, choose fillets of uniform thickness so they finish cooking at the exact same time.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store fish and ragout together in an airtight container to keep the fish moist.
Reheating: Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water until warmed through to 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
Fish is tough, dry, or rubbery
Cause: The fish was poached too long or the liquid was boiling too vigorously rather than gently simmering.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but flaking the overcooked fish into the ragout broth will help mask the dry texture.
Prevention: Check the internal temperature of the fish at the 5-minute mark with an instant-read thermometer, aiming for exactly 63C/145F.
Leeks are gritty or sandy
Cause: Dirt was trapped between the layers of the leeks during preparation.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once integrated into the dish.
Prevention: Slice the leeks first, then submerge them in a bowl of cold water, swishing them around so the sand falls to the bottom.
Cultural Context
The combination of fish paired with tomatoes, fennel, and olives draws heavily from the coastal cuisines of the Mediterranean basin, particularly regions in southern Italy and Greece. Historically, fishermen would create simple one-pan stews using the day's unsold catch, simmering it gently in broths made from abundant local vegetables and native olive oils.
