Baked Fish with Cherry Tomatoes

This dish is very close to one of my most favorite dishes ever- the Parmesan Crusted Baked Fish from Cookbook Kitchen (they have 3 branches now- 1 in Mandaluyong, 1 in Eastwood and 1 in Pampanga). And making something similar proved to be a bit of a challenge at first. It wasn't the taste, or the texture that I couldn't perfect at first. It was that- my baked fish came out watery every time. And then, I tried this trick that allowed me to make the most perfect baked fish every single time!

Check out the photos as guide on your next baked fish, and get the recipe after the jump =) 

Sear till it changes color, but not quite cooked. 

Transfer to bakeware, smother with the dressing and topping.

Scatter cherry tomatoes and pop in the oven.

Bake and serve! =)

What you need:

2 Dory Fillets, cleaned

2 T All-Purpose Flour

1/2 C Mayonnaise

3 T Dijon Mustard

1/2 C Breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp Rosaemary

1/2 tsp Thyme

1/2 tsp Basil

1/4 C Parmesan Cheese

1 pack (1 C Cherry Tomatoes)

What to do:

1. Wash the fillets, season lightly with salt and pepper and rub a very thin layer of flour. Do not cover the whole thing with flour. (roughly 1 T per fillet). 

2. Sear the fillets with just a small amount of oil (so it doesn't stick to the pan) in a skillet over high heat briefly just until the coating changes color. Fish should still be raw at this stage. Searing just allows excess water to escape from the fish. (see image)

3. Remove and transfer to a baking dish. 

4. In a small bowl, combine mustard and mayonnaise. Use this to completely cover the fillets. 

5. In a separate dry bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and herbs. Dust over the fillets.
6. Top with cherry tomatoes.
7. Bake for 30 minutes on medium heat (350 deg C)
8. Serve with rice or potatoes. 

Enjoy =)

abbey