‘Fitzroy’ is an inner-city suburb of Melbourne. It was 25 years ago, I went to a Spanish restaurant in Fitzroy with my colleagues, high school teachers. I had a fish dish and I loved it so much. I tried to figure out how it was cooked and scribbled a note on a piece of paper. When I came home, I wrote down the recipe in my recipe book straight away.
I probably should give this dish a different name, such as ‘Grilled White Fish With Spicy Garlic Tomato Sauce’, but I have been calling it ‘Fitzroy’ Fish for last 25 years.

Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

White Fish Fillets 700 to 800g
*Whiting, Cod, Barramundi, Snapper, Flathead, Blue Grenadier (Hoki or Blue Hake), etc.
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Parsley 1 tablespoon *finely chopped

Sauce Ingredients

Garlic 1 clove *finely chopped
Olive Oil 1 tablespoon
Tomato 1 *seeds removed, cut into small cubes
Red Onion 1/4 *finely chopped
Chilli 1 *finely chopped, OR 1 teaspoon Tabasco
Italian Herbs 1 to 2 teaspoons
Red/White Wine Vinegar 1 tablespoon
Salt 1/4 teaspoon

Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Lightly season the Fish Fillets with Salt & Pepper.
  2. Place Tomato on a cutting board, stem side up, and cut in half horizontally. Scoop out the watery seeds parts, then cut into small cubes. Mix with all other sauce ingredients in a bowl.
  3. I recommend to sear the Fish Fillets both sides before cooking in the oven, but it is optional. Heat small amount of Olive Oil in a frying pan or grill pan over high heat, quickly sear the fish, then turn over to sear the other side. *Note: Thin fillets do not need this process.
  4. If you used an oven-safe pan to sear the fish, simply place the sauce over the fish and bake in the oven, on a higher rack, for 10 to 15 minutes.