Baked barramundi served with honey roasted tomatoes

I like to think of myself as a strict vegetarian, but as you’ll soon read, I don’t think I can claim that title.

By that I mean I am easily convinced if the meal involves a burger, some sort of rich, slow cooked lamb, a tin of tuna, or most bizarrely, kangaroo tartare (don’t ask, I don’t know why). So, as I said: a strict vegetarian. Or maybe I’m just fussy. Anyway, the point is, those transgressions aside, I absolutely cannot stand the smell of fish. But I am determined to be a proper adult and suck it up and pretend to like seafood like everyone else. I now live less than ten minutes from Williamstown, so the other day, after a beach walk, I popped down to the pier, fingers pinching my nose, determined to bake a fish. This dish used barramundi fillets and fresh cherry tomatoes from my garden. It’s incredibly easy to prepare and has the added bonus of looking pretty impressive, so it will no doubt be a dinner party staple at our house for the foreseeable future. And yes, I am still a strict vegetarian. Thanks for asking. 

Ingredients (serves two people, plus leftovers)

• 1 small bowl of fresh tomatoes (mix up the colours)
• 1 red onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 teaspoons of baby capers
• Salt, oil etc. etc.

For the fish

• 2 barramundi fillets
• 1 tablespoon of slivered almonds
• 1 clove of garlic
• A handful of basil
• A squeeze of lemon

Method

1. In a deep tray or baking dish, cram in as many tomatoes as will fit.
2. Put in your garlic cloves, finely-sliced red onion, honey, salt and capers.
3. Smother in olive oil, then pop into the oven at 200 degrees celsius for about 45 minutes.
4. Then, in a small blender, blend the basil, almonds and garlic until it forms a chunky paste.
5. In another baking tray, place your barramundi, skin side down.
6. Spread the paste on top of each piece and then place the tray into the oven.
7. Google tells me barramundi should take about 30 minutes, but if you get impatient like I did, just dial up the temperature at the end.
8. If you have a grill, this would probably be better (the stickers have rubbed off my oven dial, so I have no idea which function corresponds to the grill and I am too worried about electrocution to investigate further).
9. Plate up the fish on the bed of blistered tomatoes, and serve with a fresh, zesty salad or similar.