Creole Haddock
The tomato topping grows soft and jammy around the haddock in the oven, with lemon keeping the sauce bright. Spoon the extra pan juices over each flaky portion.
Recipe link
Prep time15 min
Cook time25 min
Total time40 min
- Course
- Main Course
- Cuisine
- Granny's Recipes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. calories / serving
- 145
Ingredients
Creole Fish
- 2 pounds haddock fillets — thawed, patted dry, and cut into 6 portions if needed
- 1 ½ cups Roma tomatoes — medium dice
- ½ cup green bell pepper — medium dice
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter — divided
- 2 teaspoons salt (optional) — divided, to taste
- 2 tablespoons white onion — minced
- 1 teaspoon basil — dried
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper — coarsely ground
- ⅛ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional) — more to taste
Garnish
- parsley (optional) — chopped, optional
- lemon (optional) — cut into wedges, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Fish: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use 1 teaspoon of the butter to lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Arrange the thawed, patted-dry haddock in a single layer, placing thicker portions around the outside of the dish and thinner portions toward the middle.2 pounds haddock fillets, 1 teaspoon butter
- Make the Sauce: Melt the remaining 2 teaspoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the green bell pepper and onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Stir in the tomatoes, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons of the salt, basil, black pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release some of their juices and the green pepper is crisp-tender. Taste the sauce and add up to the remaining ½ teaspoon salt if needed.1½ cups Roma tomatoes, ½ cup green bell pepper, ⅓ cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons butter, 2 teaspoons salt divided, 2 tablespoons white onion, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- Bake the Fish: Spoon the hot tomato sauce evenly over the haddock. Bake for 12–18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the portions, until the fish is opaque, separates easily with a fork, and reaches 145°F in the thickest portion.2 pounds prepared haddock fillets, prepared tomato sauce
- Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges, if using. Serve hot and spoon the extra pan sauce over each portion.chopped parsley, lemon wedges
Notes
- Fish: Thaw frozen haddock in the refrigerator and pat it thoroughly dry before baking so the sauce stays flavorful rather than watery.
- Sauce: The full ⅓ cup lemon juice gives this sauce its intentionally bright character. Simmer it for the full 5 minutes so the tomatoes soften and the acidity begins to round out.
- Cooking: Begin checking the fish at 12 minutes. Thickness matters more than the clock; remove each portion as soon as it reaches 145°F and separates easily.
- Heat: The measured Tabasco gives the sauce a mild background warmth. Add more at the table for stronger heat.
- Make Ahead: The tomato sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate it in a covered container, then return it to a gentle simmer before spooning it over the raw fish.
- Storage and Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 days. Reheat covered in a 300°F oven until the center reaches 165°F, taking care not to heat the fish longer than necessary.
- Optional Fish Substitutions
- Cod
- Halibut
- Snapper
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with Crispy Roasted Potatoes, steamed rice, or Cheesy French Bread.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
6 servings — Serving size: about 5 ounces haddock with sauce
- Calories
- 145
- Carbohydrates
- 3.7 g
- Protein
- 25.3 g
- Fat
- 2.8 g
- Saturated Fat
- 1.2 g
- Cholesterol
- 87 mg
- Sodium
- 1114 mg
- Potassium
- 586 mg
- Fiber
- 0.9 g
- Total Sugars
- 2 g
Equipment
- Baking dish (9 x 13-inch)
- Medium saucepan
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Instant-read thermometer