Fish for Dinner: Grilled Whitefish Salad with Tomatoes and Herb Vinaigrette

The Fish for Dinner feature chronicles my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet, usually at a restaurant. The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish, like a CSA that delivers boxes of farm-fresh produce but with seafood instead. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus a few tips and fishin’ tunes too.

The Occasion: A quick dinner on a night when there’s no time for dinner.

This dish came together quickly, easily, and deliciously. It’s another one where the quality of the ingredients will determine the success of the dish. And thanks to the ultra-fresh fish from Hooked on Fish and some lovely and juicy cherry tomatoes we enjoyed a tasty and relaxing meal … before it was time to race off to the next thing.

Sometimes I feel guilty using convenience ingredients from the market – like pretty, pre-washed leaves of lettuce all boxed up and ready to go – but then I get over myself and keep moving.

This dish is quite flexible – the recipe calls for the fish to be grilled, but it could easily be pan-roasted instead. Recipe says tarragon is the herb to use in the vinaigrette. I didn’t have any so used parsley which was just fine; basil or chervil would be fine too, maybe even fresh mint.
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Let’s keep up the pace right now and slide into a little fishing tune before reading onward for the recipe and photos. 

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Image: Pixabay

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Printable Recipe- Grilled Whitefish Salad with Tomatoes and Herb Vinaigrette
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Grilled Whitefish Salad with Tomatoes and Herb Vinaigrette
Recipe source: Michael Lomonaco via Serious Eats via Hooked on Fish

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 six-ounce whitefish fillets, skin on, any bones removed
• 6 teaspoons canola oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 cups salad mix
• 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes, use different colors if possible
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs of your choice, chopped, such as tarragon, parsley, basil, or oregano
• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

• Brush each fish fillet with a teaspoon of canola oil, and then season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the grill for medium heat, brushing the grates with canola oil. Add the fillets flesh-side down. Cook until flesh is firm, and grill lines start to appear, 2-4 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Flip the fillets, and cook until skin starts to crisp up, 2-4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar in a medium bowl. Then toss in the tomatoes, herbs, and capers. Season this mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the salad mix between four plates. When fish is done, place a fillet on top of each salad. Top each fish with a quarter of the tomato mixture and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Photos by Ann Johnson unless otherwise noted