I bought a big bag of tilapia fillets at Costco, because tilapia is a pretty non-fishy fish to start with and it’s easy to cook. This time I thawed the individually-wrapped fillets in the fridge overnight, but in a hurry I sometimes thaw them in a bowl of water in the sink, which takes about half an hour if I replace the cold water a couple of times.
I cut about 20 grape tomatoes in half and put them in a small oven-safe dish with pepper and olive oil, and left them in the oven for 20 minutes or so at 375, stirring them after a while. When they’re soft, they’re done, so put them aside for a bit while you get the fish cooked.
Meanwhile, I got the fish settled in another dish lined with foil (trust me, use the foil, or you will regret it) and smeared it with a couple of tablespoons of sundried tomato salad dressing. A tablespoon per fillet is plenty, just smear it around with your fingers, or the back of a spoon if you’re squeamish. I cooked the fish according to the package directions, taking it out when there were 5 minutes left on the timer so I could top the fish with the tomatoes and put it back in.
Doing it this way produces a fish dinner that I actually look forward to. And that’s saying a lot!
It’s a great way to use up squishy tomatoes you find in the fridge, because they’re going to get soft when you roast them anyway, so it doesn’t make a difference. As long as they’re not moldy, go ahead and try.
On the use of aluminum foil: I hate using foil because I feel like it’s wasteful, but the one time I tried to cook this without it was disastrous and I ended up losing some of the nonstick surface of my pan. Now I use my white Corningware dishes and I line the bottom with foil to preserve my sanity and make my cleanup manageable. They sell recycled aluminum foil now, which helps me feel less guilty about using it.
Fun note: my spell check must be set to British, because it’s yelling at me to change it to aluminium. And…. now I have the Barenaked Ladies song in my head. Enjoy!