An easy and healthy way to cook sole or your favorite type of white meat fish. Serve with basmati rice for a delicious gluten-free meal.
I have to admit I don’t eat fish as often as I should. Fish is a basic ingredient of the Mediterranean diet and a very good way to plenty of omega fats which help you keep your heart healthy. For me, the best way to eat fish is grilled over charcoals and then drizzled with a simple sauce made of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and some dried oregano. These are all the ingredients you need in order to enjoy a great meal. Of course, the most important thing when grilling fish is that the fish must be extra fresh and you must be extra careful not to overcook it and dry it out.
If you like fish recipes don't miss this creamy Greek Fish Soup Recipe (Psarosoupa).
But fish can also be a pain in the ass, especially if you have to scale and gut it. In some markets where fresh fish are sold, you can ask the vendor to do it for you, something that will save you great time and effort. I remember the first time I realized I could ask my vendor to scale and gut my fish. It was like an epiphany, a moment when the sky opened and a thick ray of bright light fell upon me, a moment when all my worries drifted away and felt nothing but sheer happiness 🙂 . Your other option is to buy frozen fish fillets which can also be great (just choose a brand you trust) and are usually scaled and ready for cooking.
This recipe is very easy since all you have to do is make a simple, aromatic, tomato sauce with which you’ll cover the fish and then bake it. A rose geranium leaf is used in the sauce for additional flavor. Rose geranium leaves are frequently used in Mediterranean cuisine, but mostly in syrups and marmalades. I find it contributes nice aroma to the dish, but you can use bay leaf instead. Another recipe with rose geranium is this tomato marmalade. Sole is a lean fish with mild flavor so this sauce is perfect because it keeps the fillets moist while lending them a subtle Mediterranean aroma. You can serve it with fried potatoes but I prefer a bowl of aromatic fluffy rice.
Some notes/tips:
When buying fish check the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) area to determine where it was caught. You can also find online maps that show these areas and the numbers by which they are represented. My personal belief is that not all areas are equally clean and pollution-free, so you may want to do a little searching.
Don’t overcook your fish!
Instead of sole, try this recipe with cod, pollock, tilapia, or halibut. Adjust cooking time depending on the thickness of the fillets.
If you use frozen fillets, thaw them according to packaging and pat them dry with a kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture.
Fish will shrink during baking, that’s normal.
Similar recipes:
Mediterranean skillet gnocchi with beans & spinach
Everything grains stuffed vegetables
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📖 Recipe
Baked Sole with Mediterranean sauce
Ingredients
- 6-8 sole fillets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, whole
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pink peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup parsley
- 1 rose geranium leaf, optional or 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for the fish
-
- Extra olive oil, crushed pink peppercorns, oregano, parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Sauté the onion and the garlic with the olive oil in a pan over medium/high heat, until translucent (about 5 minutes).Add the wine, tomatoes, salt, pepper, pink peppercorns, oregano, rose geranium leaf, sugar, and parsley and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 10 minutes).
- In the meantime line a baking pan with baking paper and arrange the sole fillets on the baking pan.Scoop the tomato sauce over the fillets and spread it with a spoon to cover them completely.Drizzle with some extra olive oil and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until fish is cooked through.
- Eat!
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Akhila@Pepper Delight says
I love fish, its a staple food in my hometown. Our recipes are more pan fried based and we hardly bake. Your dish looks amazing and the recipe seems simple. Thank You for sharing, I am also learning about a lot of new Mediterranean spices from your post!
Makos says
Yes, it's very simple! Thank you Akhila!
Kathryn Pauline says
Yum! This sounds delicious! In Iraqi cuisine, we make something really similar called masgouf. Also, I totally had a moment like the one you described when I realized that I could ask the poultry butcher to cut off the feet and head for me. Life-changing!
Makos says
Hi, Kathryn!
I just googled masgouf! Saw some pretty big fish which seemed totally delicious!
Yes! It's nice when someone else does all the nasty work, right?