Inspired by the Bahamas and Childhood Memories

I developed this fish and veggie gratin recipe when we were cruising in the Bahamas and was looking for something to make with a fresh fish we had caught. I remembered a casserole my mom frequently used to make when she entertained guests. Her recipe included mushrooms, tomatoes, white wine, cream and swiss cheese. Sounds weird but it was a big hit. My mom got the recipe from her friend Eddy and thus we always called it "Eddy's Fish Dish."

My Version

This recipe has a few of the same ingredients as Eddy's Fish Dish, but instead of cooking it like a casserole with cream and wine, my version is more like a gratin, with layers of vegetables, fish, bread crumbs and a little bit of cheese to bind it all together. It takes about half an hour to assemble and another half an hour in the oven. It is easy enough to cook on a boat, healthy enough for a weeknight meal, and tasty enough for an impromptu dinner party.

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Options

I like to think of this recipe as vegetable forward, starting with a layer of sauteed vegetables and including a middle layer of tomato slices. You can substitute a variety of vegetables for the mushrooms, including sauteed onions, zucchini or brussels sprouts. Or you can double down and use multiple vegetables.   Likewise, you can use a variety of fish. I've used sole, mahi mahi and tilapia. Cod, halibut and salmon would work well too.   I've used panko for breadcrumbs and once made homemade bread crumbs when we were on the boat and had none in our galley. I particularly like panko for the crunch it gives this dish. Any kind of bread crumbs will work.

If you are on a gluten-free diet you can still make this dish. Just use gluten-free panko.

Easy to Size Up or Down

This recipe is easy to size up or down to make for one, two, four or a crowd. Choose a baking pan to fit the number of servings you plan to make. A 13" x 9" x 2" works well for six servings. I use an 11" x 8" x 2" pan to make four servings. Plan on about 1/3 pound of fish per person. The quantity of vegetables you use really depends on how vegetable forward you want this dish to be. Exact measurements are not necessary.

One Pan or Two

In this version, I use two pans: a skillet to saute the vegetables and a glass or ceramic 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish for the gratin. As an alternative, you could roast the vegetables in a little olive oil in the baking dish, then layer the fish, tomatoes and cheese over the roasted vegetables. This would eliminate the need for the saute pan and allow you to substitute olive oil for butter. A nice win-win.  

My Trick to Prevent Garlic From Burning

Do you have problems with your garlic burning when a recipe calls for sauteing garlic in butter? I don't know why so many recipes instruct you to saute the garlic first. It is a recipe for disaster. The simple way to keep garlic from burning is to saute it with other vegetables. I typically begin sauteing the vegetables first, then after about a minute add the garlic. Try it! It works. Print