4 Servings | 25 minutes
    Chili CrispRecipe

Tomato Poached Fish

Perfectly transitional from light and summery to cozy and wintery.

The Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp Bowlcut Chili Crisp
1 shallot
1 pound small, sweet tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
1¼ pounds fluke, halibut or cod, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
½ cup mint, leaves and tender stems
Vegetable oil
Limes, halved, for serving
Tortillas, toast or rice, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the shallot rings into a bowl, add enough cornstarch to coat and combine with your hands making sure the shallots are coated.
  2. Fill a ⅓ of a small saucepan with vegetable or sunflower oil and place on a high heat. When hot add a shallot to test the temperature, if it bubbles its ready. Add the shallots (you might need to do this in two batches). Cook until they go golden then remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a plate topped with kitchen towel then sprinkle with sea salt. Set aside.
  3. Add 1 tbsp of Bowlcut Chili Crisp into the pan. Add tomatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until they burst and start to become saucy and jammy, 5 to 8 minutes.
  4. Add fish sauce, if using, and 1½ cups water, swirling to release any of the bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet.
  5. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened but still nice and brothy, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Season the fish with salt and pepper and gently lay the pieces in the brothy tomatoes. Cover the skillet and cook until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes (slightly longer for a thicker piece of fish, like halibut).
  7. To serve, transfer fish and brothy tomatoes to a large shallow bowl or divide among four bowls. Drizzle with more Chili Crisp, olive oil, and the crispy shallots.
  8. Top with cilantro and mint, and serve with limes for squeezing over the top. Serve with tortillas, toast, or rice, if you like.