BAKED FLOUNDER WITH TOMATO CAPER SAUCE

Baked Flounder with Tomato Caper Sauce image

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

For sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 (14 1/2-oz) can diced tomatoes including juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For flounder
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, well softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-oz) pieces skinless flounder or sole fillet
2 tablespoons dry white wine

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Make sauce:
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and fennel, stirring, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and wine and simmer briskly until liquid is reduced by one third, about 5 minutes. Stir in capers, salt, and pepper, then transfer to a 2-quart gratin dish or other wide shallow baking dish.
Prepare flounder:
Stir together bread crumbs, butter, salt, and pepper with a fork until combined. Season flounder with salt and pepper, then roll each fillet, skinned side up, into a cylinder and arrange, seam side down, on top of sauce. Gently press bread crumbs onto flounder.
Drizzle wine carefully around fish into sauce (not over fish) and bake in middle of oven until fish is just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.