Spring has not yet sprung here in Madison, WI. Though the days are starting to get longer (slowly but surely), there’s still snow on the ground, the lake is still frozen, and my giant parka is still easily my most frequently worn piece of clothing. As John Mulaney said in his recent SNL monologue: “March, it’s like if winter had a spring.” Now would be the perfect time to take a vacation to the Cote d’Azur or the Italian Riviera…but unfortunately, the plane ride from Madison to those destinations is a lot longer and more expensive than it was from Bristol (where my husband and I lived for the past two years). So, I just have to transport myself there in another way – through food! This past week I made a simple baked fish dish with roasted tomatoes, potatoes, olives, and herbs. When took a bite and closed my eyes, I could almost imagine myself sitting at a lovely beachside café in Bandol soaking up the sun.  Plus, after several months of hearty stews and rich braises, I’ve been craving lighter, brighter meals and this Mediterranean inspired meal perfectly fit the bill.

Ingredients in Mediterranean Fish with Roasted Tomatoes

The basic gist of this recipe is as follows: roast a pint  of cherry tomatoes and whatever other vegetables you feel like, then place a filet of white fish (I used branzino) on top and bake until it is cooked through. I added thinly sliced potatoes, sweet peppers, shallots, and garlic to my tomatoes along with a big handful of Nyon olives; but, this recipe can be adapted to your preferences and/or what you have on hand. Feel free to skip the olives or add capers, substitute or add a vegetable (I love adding kale or another leafy green to the mix), toss in whatever herbs or spices strike your fancy, or use a different kind of fish (halibut, cod, hake, or snapper would all work great). The only must, is the tomatoes – as they roast, some of them burst, creating a delicious, saucy base for the fish.

What to serve with Mediterranean Fish with Roasted Tomatoes

Served with a bottle of provencal rose (or Ligurian vermentino if you’d prefer to mentally visit the Italian coast) and a loaf of crusty bread, this fish dish is a super simple meal that still feels like a special treat.

Mediterranean Fish with Roasted Tomatoes Recipe

2 pints cherry tomatoes

2 shallots, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 medium sweet peppers, thinly sliced

½ pound baby potatoes (red, gold, purple or a mix), thinly sliced

1/3 cup olives (preferably an oil cured variety), roughly chopped

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

1 lemon, halved

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more

Salt and pepper to taste

4 skin on filets of branzino (or another white fish)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large ceramic or glass baking dish, toss first six ingredients with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Nestle the herbs and lemon halves (face up) into the vegetable mixture, and drizzle a bit more olive oil over the lemons.

4. Roast the mixture until some of the tomatoes have burst and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

5. Season the fish filets with salt and pepper and place them skin side up on top of the roasted vegetables.

6. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the skin and return the dish to the oven and bake until the fish is just cooked through (the flesh should be opaque and brake easily into flakes), about 15 minutes.

7. Serve and be transported to the sunny Mediterranean destination of your choice!

Would you like to visit the Italian Riviera for yourself? Where do your travel dreams take you? We can help with that! Remember that we are always available to you and your friends and family for custom trip planning to Italy, France, Ireland, the UK and all of Europe. We are experts in creating custom travel itineraries and leading small group trips to European destinations. We also book European cruises! Feel free to reach out via email — We’re always available to talk about travel! 

Chelsea is one third of the Euro Travel Coach team (and is the daughter of the other two thirds of the team, Greg and Betsy). She has a passion for food and wine and has a background in hospitality. She attended Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and interned with two of New York City's best restaurant groups while she was in school. After graduation she worked at the number one wine auction house in the United States, Chicago's Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. There, she organized various wine centric events for HDH's most valuable clients. She and her husband moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in 2016 and then to Bristol, UK in 2018 and traveled through Europe extensively during their time living abroad. Her expertise in food and wine and her experience living in Europe helps her to find amazing accommodations, delicious restaurants, and unique experiences for Euro Travel Coach clients.

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