Sautéed Rockfish with Caprese and Roasted Vegetables

I’m fond of grilling fish come summer but occasionally the weather is uncooperative and then, even though it’s warm, I will slide seasoned fillets into a skillet with lemon butter and still have dinner pronto. Fish is the original fast food! Begin by roasting the vegetables and, when they’re almost done, cook the fish and, while it cooks, make the caprese topping. If you’ve an air fryer, you might air fry the vegetables for a faster meal. This recipe serves 2 or 3, but if there are two of you and you end up with an extra fillet, you can have a tasty lunch sandwich the next day. Heat the fish fillet briefly in a greased pan and add it to a grilled hard roll spread with lots of mayo and topped with crispy bacon, peppered shredded cabbage, thinly sliced onion, and fresh tomato.

serves 2-3

Ingredients

ROASTED VEGETABLES

10 baby red potatoes, cut in half
Olive oil
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, dried thyme
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces on the bias (at an angle)
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted

ROCKFISH

1 tablespoon salted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (¼-inch) slivers lemon rind
Kosher salt, paprika, fresh ground pepper, and garlic salt
2-3 (6-oz) fillets rockfish or any white fish you like
Lemon wedges for serving

CAPRESE

1 large, ripe tomato-diced
2 tablespoons julienned basil
6 fresh mozzarella bocconcini, small balls of mozzarella, cut in half or quarters
Crushed red pepper

Instructions

ROAST THE VEGETABLES: Preheat the oven to 400F. Prepare 2 quarter sheet pans (or put the carrots on one side and the potatoes on the other of a half sheet pan) by spraying with cooking spray or lining with foil. Potatoes: In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and dried thyme. Turn the potatoes out onto the prepared pan and flip them cut side down. Carrots: In a medium bowl, toss the carrots with the melted butter and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Turn the carrots out onto the prepared pan. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender, turning once midway through roasting. The carrots may take a few minutes extra, depending on how thickly you sliced them. If veggies are done before fish, cover lightly and set aside until serving. (I like these vegetables roasted differently and separately because I like buttered carrots. If you’d rather, you can season them the same, mix them all together with olive oil, and cook them together.)
COOK THE ROCKFISH: 10 minutes before the vegetables are done, heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the slivers of lemon. Cook two minutes. Meanwhile, pat dry the fish fillets. Season one side with salt and paprika and the other with garlic salt and black pepper, patting the spices into the fish. Add the seasoned fillets to the pan and cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side until it’s firm and opaque—another 2 or 3 minutes. FDA indicates cooking fish to 145F on an instant read thermometer. I take it off at 135F or 140F and let it rest briefly to insure a moist fillet.
MAKE THE CAPRESE: While the fish cooks, stir together the tomato, basil, and mozzarella in a small bowl; add a pinch of crushed red pepper. Set aside until the fish is cooked, if necessary.
PLATE THE MEAL: Place a cooked fish fillet and a lemon sliver or two (cooked lemon rind is edible) at the center of a dinner plate or shallow bowl. Add roasted potatoes and carrots. Top the fish with a generous spoonful of caprese and snuggle up a fresh lemon wedge to the side. Repeat. Serve hot or warm.

Notes

COOK'S NOTES: 1. Keep this butter-roasted carrot idea in your back pocket for an easy fall or winter holiday dish. You can make them ahead and briefly reheat at serving time. 2. Set table and open wine before beginning to cook or during the first few minutes of vegetable roasting so you can eat your fish right away.