Layered fish fillets with stuffing and vegetables

The dish that just might turn your family into fish lovers!

While I am a big fan of eating fish, but I know that lots of people are not. When asked for tips, I usually recommend starting with mild-flavoured white fish like haddock, sole or basa before working up to fish with more pronounced flavours. This layered casserole is a great ‘gateway’ recipe because the stuffing (which some people call dressing) and vegetables are the most prominent elements, with the fish tucked inside to absorb the great seasoning all around it. Another good thing is that because the fish is well-insulated, it’s much harder to overcook it this way. Note that you can assemble this dish a few hours before baking and refrigerate it until ready to cook. I love to serve this dish with a side salad and these amazing super crispy roasted potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups (500 mL) torn bread, in small pieces
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) dried savory
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) each salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 pound (454 g) haddock or other fish fillets (fresh or frozen – thaw if frozen) *
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• lemon wedges, to serve

* about 4 medium-sized pieces; most flash-frozen haddock fillets are approximately 4 oz / 115 grams

Method

• Preheat oven to 425F.
• Grease an 8 cup (2 L) loaf pan (9 x 5 inches or 22.5 x 12.5 cm) or line with parchment paper. Note that a loaf pan will give you more layers but if you only have a broader (8 x 8 or 10 x 10) casserole dish you can assemble as below with one layer each of fish, stuffing and vegetables.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened (about 3 – 4 minutes).
• While onion cooks, put torn bread in a medium bowl. Sprinkle savory, sage, salt and pepper over top and toss to combine. Pour cooked onions and butter over the torn bread and toss again. Drizzle chicken broth or water over the bread mixture and toss to distribute.
• Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towel and place two of them in the bottom of the loaf pan.
• Spread half the stuffing over the fish fillets in an even layer. Top with half the zucchini slices, overlapping if necessary, followed by half the tomato slices.
• Repeat the layers of fish, stuffing, zucchini and tomatoes.
• Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until fish registers 145F (use the thermometer carefully to be sure you’re taking the temperature of the bottom fish layer).
• Serve hot with a fresh lemon wedge on each plate.

Makes 3 – 4 servings.