Bass in Tomato and Artichoke Broth

 

Thanks to this blog, most nights we make something that we've never made before, so that we can have lots of new content for you all to read and enjoy. This has been great for us since it lets us try and learn new things, many of which are delicious. But on the downside, there are some favorites that we don't have as frequently as we otherwise would.

This is one of those dishes. It's one of the first things Bryan learned to cook when he moved out on his own into the world, and one of the first things he made for YiRan. It used to be a weekly staple in the cold climate of Chicago, because it's so easy to put together, takes very little time, but still has a delicious, sophisticated flavor. Plus it's warm and soupy which is great for a cold day.

You can use pretty much any kind of firm white fish, we usually use bass, barramundi, or even tilapia.

Making the Dish
Start off by seasoning the fish with salt and pepper and let it rest while you're preparing the broth. Start by chopping up half an onion into a small dice, and thinly slicing two cloves of garlic. Grab a can of artichoke hearts (or fresh ones, if you want to spend the time getting them ready), drain them, and chop them roughly. Pre-heat your oven to 350.

Seasoning the bass filets with salt and pepper

In a saucepan, start to simmer the onion and garlic in olive oil. Once they've gotten nice and soft, add in 1/3 cup of white wine and bring to a boil. Once the wine starts to boil, add in the artichoke hearts, the can of stewed tomatoes (including the juices) and a half cup of water, and bring to a boil.

Adding the stewed tomatoes and artichokes to the pan

Add in salt and pepper, and some fresh or dried basil, and stir. Let simmer for about 5 minutes as all the flavors blend together.

Simmering the tomato and artichoke broth

Pour the whole thing (carefully!) into a baking dish. (Note: you can also add some chopped cauliflower to the baking dish and pour the broth over it - we did this once and it turned out quite nice). Arrange the fish over the sauce, and place one sliver of butter on the top of each piece of fish.

The bass arranged on a bed of tomato and artichoke broth

Put the whole thing into the oven and let it cook for about 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. You'll want it to be soft and flaky when it's done.

Creating the orange oil

While the fish is cooking, take a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Zest half an orange into the olive oil and stir together. Let this sit for a bit to infuse the orange flavor into the oil.

The finished bass

When the fish is done, spoon the broth and some of the tomato and artichoke mixture into a bowl, and place the fish on top. Drizzle the orange infused olive oil on top, and enjoy!

The Result
The wine with the artichoke and tomato creates a very distinct, subtle flavor that is complemented excellently by the orange oil, and makes for a perfect accompaniment to the fish. The fish's flavor does not get overwhelmed but actually enhanced.

All in all, this is a pretty great go-to weeknight dish that we're glad to finally be able to share with you. We hope you enjoy it, and if you have anything similar that we ought to try, please let us know in the comments!

Click through for the full ingredient list!

Bass in Tomato and Artichoke Broth

Written by: Herbie Likes Spaghetti

A quick and easy, delicious meal for any weeknight

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min

(Serves: 2)

2 filets bass
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can artichoke hearts
1 orange
4 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste