Pan Seared Tilapia with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

This is a simple dish with a ton of flavor. Almost a puttanesca sauce for fish, without the anchovies - although it wouldn't hurt to add a couple anchovy filets. We grow these wonderful sweet black cherry tomatoes in our garden and I used them in this but you can use regular cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. 

Ingredients

3 - 4 tilapia fillets, cleaned and sliced in half lengthwise or sub with snapper, grouper, cod or another good white fish

About 20 cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 large sweet onion cut into half rings

2 tablespoons capers

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 a fresh Calabrese pepper or a small chili pepper, thin sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil divided

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon dry or 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped oregano

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 - Put the onion and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet (large enough to later hold all the fish in a single layer) on low medium heat. Sauté the onion until it turns a rich golden color.

2 - When the onion is soft and golden add the garlic and cook stirring for about a minute.

3 - Turn the heat to med high and add the tomatoes, oregano and wine and cook uncovered for a minute then med low heat covered until the tomatoes start to collapse, about 10 minutes.

4 - Meanwhile, drizzle the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a separate non-stick pan  sear on med high until nice and crispy brown - see the pic above, about 3-4 min per side. 

5 - When the tomatoes are done, add the olives, capers and sliced pepper

6 - Add the fish and work the pieces into the sauce. Cook on medium low for another 5 minutes. The fish will soak up some of the sauce.

Serve the fish topped with the sauce with a side of rice - or on top of the rice. We've also made this over pasta - spaghetti or linguine would be the pasta of choice. Break the fish into smaller bite size pieces in the pan after it is cooked then add the cooked pasta into the pan and stir together to incorporate all the flavors. Nice! 

This was so good I actually licked the plate clean! So did Lisa but she used a piece of bread.