Recipe: Red Snapper with Fresh Tomatoes and Black Olives

RED SNAPPER WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND BLACK OLIVES

3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh ripe tomatoes
2 teaspoons thinly sliced garlic
12 Kalamata olives
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
2 pounds red snapper, striped bass or grouper fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put onion and olive oil in skillet large enough to accommodate fish fillets in single layer. Place skillet over medium-low heat. Saut onion until it turns rich, golden color.

While onion is sauteing, peel tomatoes and, unless ripe and flavorful, remove seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch dice.

When onion is colored, add garlic and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and cook until water that tomatoes release evaporates by about half, about 10 minutes.

While tomatoes cook, slice olives by cutting flesh away from pits.

When tomatoes are done, stir in olives and capers. Put in fish fillets and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and simmer over medium-low heat. Fish will take about 10 minutes per inch of thickness to cook. When about halfway done, turn fillets over and check to see there is still liquid in pan. If liquid evaporates before fish is done, add 2 tablespoons water. Fish is cooked when it flakes easily when prodded with fork.

Remove fish from pan with slotted spatula. If sauce is too watery, raise heat and reduce. Pour sauce over fish and serve at once.

Makes 4-6 servings
Source: Every Night Italian by Giuliano Hazan