BAKED MEDITERRANEAN SOLE WITH SEASONED RICE

BAKED MEDITERRANEAN SOLE WITH SEASONED RICE image

Categories Fish Bake

Yield Makes 4 main course servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 lb. thin asparagus, bottom 2 inches removed
½ lb. assorted dark olives (such as Kalamata, Gaeta, Nicoise)
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 cp. short grain rice (such as sushi rice)
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 lb. sole filets (skin removed) or other mild white fish
½ tsp. table salt

Steps:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut asparagus diagonally into 2-inch pieces. Remove and discard pits from olives by mashing gently with a heavy flat implement such as a mallet (being careful not to smash the pit) then digging out pit. Chop pitted olives coarsely. Mix chopped olives, asparagus pieces, crumbled feta cheese, garlic, olive oil, oregano and pepper (to taste) in a large bowl. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting any butter or oil. Stir in rice wine vinegar and allow to stand for 5 minutes. While rice is cooking, spread ½ olive mixture evenly across bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish. Season both sides of fish lightly with salt and place in a single layer on top of olive mixture. Top evenly with remaining mixture. Bake on middle rack of oven for 15 minutes or until fish is opaque, timing it to finish with the rice. Season rice evenly with cumin. Serve vegetables and fish over rice on plates, spooning any residual cooking liquid over fish.