It is a constant challenge to make my life easier. I want real food. I want it to be easy. I guess you could say I want gourmet food with little labor, so when I stumbled upon this recipe I got really excited. I think this may be my most simple meal so far. With my perpetual quest to have good food, that is real food, that is easy and fast, with minimal preservatives I stumbled upon Cod with Tomato and Tapenade.
I really thought I had reached my highpoint of easy when I made Angel Hair Pasta with Feta & Pine Nuts, but this is even simpler. I try really, really hard to stay away from processed food, however I did buy pre-made tapenade from the refrigerated section at Trader Joe’s. Warning, while olives are cured or preserved they do have a shelf life. Jacques made his own tapenade, but for the amount I needed it was cheaper just to buy ready-made. I don’t buy ready-made often, but in this case the quality seemed to be there. The ingredients were black and green olives, capers, garlic, canola/olive oil, and pimento. So make your own or go to TJs.
Here is another warning – when you take photos of your mise en place, please turn your fish to its presentation side.
I added a few tomatoes in just for good measure and to round out the meal. They sweetened with the their roasting.
Serve over a bed of cooked spinach, or rice, couscous, orzo, or in my case mashed potatoes.
So a spoon or two of tapenade over the fish, into the oven, and your good to go. At 400°F, it took about 10 minutes for mine. It will depend on your oven and the type of pan you use. I could hear my tomatoes exploding, a big warning. There is carry over cooking so be mindful of that. When I took the dish out of the oven it was sizzling from the oil from the olives, the tomatoes, and the juices from the fish so let it rest a few minutes. Delicious.
It’s fast food. It’s comfort food. The recipe easily doubles or more. Good enough for company, or just one or two. Could it be any quicker?
Okay, call your friends and invite them to lunch, or dinner, or supper. This should be shared.
- 2 - 6 or 8 oz. Fish
- 3 tablespoons Tapenade
- 12 Cherry or Grapes Tomatoes
- Olive oil to brush fish and bottom of pan
- Mise en place ~ Gather ingredients
- Preheat oven 400°F
- Brush fish lightly with olive oil.
- Spoon a 1½ tablespoon tapenade over fish.
- A teaspoon of oil to coat tomatoes – add around fish.
- Roast – 10 minutes per fish thickness. Test for to see if it is cooked through. Mine took about 15 minutes. When I remove it from the oven it was sizzling and the tomatoes had started to pop.
- Let rest.
- Serve over couscous, or orzo, or pasta, or mashed potatoes.
I’m taking this to
Susan’s at Metamorphosis Monday
Sarah’s at Make The Scene Monday
Jane’s at Melt In Your Mouth
Chandra’s at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
Kayla at Sweet Sharing Monday
Ali’s at Recipe Sharing Monday
Debbie’s at Confessions of a Plate Addict
Linda’s at Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Marty’s at Inspire Me Tuesday
Lauren’s at Off The Hook Link Party
Wanda Ann’s at Tuesday Trivia
Maria’s at Tuesdays At Our Home
Kathe ‘s at Your Gonna Love It Tuesday
Alice’s at Empty Your Archive
Kim’s at Wow Us Wednesday
Sherry’s at Open House Party
Ashley’s at What’s In The Kitchen
Yvonne’s at TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS
Dana’s at Two Girls and A Party
Sherry’s at Home Sweet Home
Lindsay’s at Show And Share
The Style Sister’s Centerpiece Wednesdays
Jann’s at Share Your Cup
Leslie’s at Create It Thursday
Miz Helen’s at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
Liz at The Brambleberry Cottage
Debra’s at Be Inspired Friday
Cindy’s at Show and Tell Friday
Michael’s at Foodie Friday
Ruthie’s at Show and Tell
Leigh Anne’s at Finding the Pretty and Delicious
Linda’s at What To Do Weekend
Paula’s at Saturday Dishes
Natasha’s at G’Day Saturday
Shauna’s at The Weekend re-Treat
Ms. Scaper’s at The Tablescaper
Aimee’s at Twigg Studios
Vanessa’s at NiftyThrifty
Carole’s at Carole’s Chatter
Chrystal’s at Ladies Only
Jamie’s at Social Sunday
Confessions of a Plate Addict says
Sounds easy and yummy! I do have a TJ’s near me and need to check them out for tapenade! I am enjoying seeing your recipes at The Scoop! Thanks! Have a great week!…hugs…Debbie
Ms. Lemon says
Debbie this is so easy I shocked myself. Thanks for stopping by.
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
You are a girl after my own heart – gourmet food with little work. With recipes like this it is easy to achieve. What a lovely combination of flavors and so fresh.
Ms. Lemon says
I am always flattered when someone that cooks like you gives me positive response. Thank you so much. And yes, I was surprised myself how easy this was.
marcie says
This looks like such a fresh, delicious meal. I love olive tapenade!
The Café Sucre Farine says
Did I hear you calling me with an invitation to dinner? Yes, please, I’ll be there! This looks just wonderful, simple, perfect!
Ms. Lemon says
Chris, you are so sweet. I hope you will try this. It is shockingly easy.
Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says
Hello! I am visiting from the TTT party at StoneGable. I am definitely trying your recipe soon. I have some cod in the freezer and plenty of cherry tomatoes in the garden. (I’m always looking for a way to use them!) Going to pick up some tapenade tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe!
Pam says
What a great combination of flavors in this beautiful recipe.
Poppy says
Hello there!
So nice to meet you! Your tomato and tapenade dish looks and sounds very tasty, indeed! I also love all the brilliant colours of cooking fresh/seasonal and local-it can’t be beat! Thanks for sharing!
Poppy
Ms. Lemon says
Thank you very much Poppy.
Monique says
I am so partial to a recipe my daughter fed us then gave us..a white fish..your choice with a nice caper olive tomato salsa on top..
THis sounds ..very much along the same lines..now all I need is a TJ..actually I just cut out a tapenade recipe from the weekend paper ..a different one..where did I put it?:)
Ms. Lemon says
Monique, just google Jacques Pépin’s tapenade – he made his own with black and green olives, with garlic and a dried fig. I only used TJs because I cook in such small batches. Jacques made his with tuna, but it works on almost any fish. After I made this I saw one that Laura Calder made, only she used slice tomatoes. I love Laura Calder. Thanks so much for stopping by. You are such a good cook I am flattered.
Miz Helen says
Your recipe is wonderful, and thank you so much for sharing it with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are staying cool on this hot summers day, enjoy your weekend!
Miz Helen
Jann Olson says
Sounds yummy and so good for you! We have a new TJ’s about 40 min. away. I have been wanting to go there. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Ms. Lemon says
Thanks for visiting Jann. I hope you will try it.
Shelia says
How nice to just meet someone and feel I’m invited to dinner! 🙂 This looks so delicious. You have a very lovely blog!
Thanks for popping in to see me and how excited she went to the inaugural and I had a friend who made mockups in muslin. Not a bad idea when using expensive fabric.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
This really looks and sounds delicious. Thanks for the recipe. Thanks also for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Beverly says
Yum! This looks and sounds delish. And, even better, it is definitely something I would prepare.
Thank you for sharing, and thank you for your visit to my blog. I hope you will visit again.
Ms. Lemon says
Thank you for visiting Beverly. This is the easiest recipe I ever made. I hope you will make it and enjoy it as much as I did.
Debra @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
It looks and sounds great! 🙂
and when my sons are over here ? They’ll just about eat ANYTHING if mashed potatoes go with it 🙂
Ms. Lemon says
How funny. I hope you will make it and enjoy it.
Linda says
Thanks for linking to Saturday Dishes.
Linda @ Tumbleweed Contessa
Sherry says
Thank you for sharing your recipe at the Open House party. This looks delicious and it is something I will definitely make. Check out this weeks party to see your post featured.
xx,
Sherry
Ms. Lemon says
Yeah! I’ll be right over.
Alice @ Mums Make Lists says
I love how quickly you can get great fish recipes on the table and this is a fab example.
Thanks so much for sharing at Empty Your Archive – I have featured you this week, Alice