Butter and Lemon Baked Basa Fillet with Tomatoes

Last week I had the privilege of hosting my 3rd FullyWell by Mel Dinner Party. I call these dinners ‘Come Health with Me’. If you’re Australian, British or South African you’ll know the play on words here. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this, there’s a tv show called Come Dine with Me where 4 or 5 amateur chefs compete against each other in hosting a dinner party for the other contestants. It is often really cringe-worthy as awkward moments dominate airtime but its hugely entertaining and there’s a lot one can learn from these contestants as far as cooking and hosting is concerned. What not to do mostly 😉

I decided to start hosting dinner parties that are (in my opinion) a lot less cringe-worthy with as few awkward moments as possible (I’m really selling this aren’t I?) but that are oriented around healthy eating. I provide meals that are relatively quick and easy to make and are nourishing to the body. We then talk about the meal, the quality of the ingredients, where to source them and how they benefit the body. 

The most recent dinner party included, but was not limited to, this delightfully tasty and incredibly simple dish. Butter and Lemon Baked Basa Fillet with Tomatoes. 

Basa fish is endemic to South East Asia, and since this is where I live (Vietnam), I cook a fair amount of it. Basa fillet has such a subtle flavour that it takes on whatever flavours are added to it and so if you tend to over season, just be mindful that you’ll most likely lose the flavour of the fish. If you’re ok with that, then feel free to go ham on the seasoning!

For this particular use of the fish, I decided to combine the always delicious combination of lemon and butter. The cherry tomatoes that get baked with it create a delightful sauce that really compliments the buttery-lemony situation. 

Cooking Tips:

• Defrost the fish in room temperature water, not hot water as this toughens it
• Rinse the fish and pat dry with kitchen paper
• Get the cherry tomatoes that are still attached to the stalks because this looks pretty
• Cover in foil so as to keep the moisture in and get that juicy sauce going

I served the baked basa fillet on a bed of micro greens. This went so well together as it offered a crunchy contrast to the tender fillet. Because this was the second course, I got away with it being a light meal. You could also serve it with a salad, in fish tacos, atop some cauliflower mash, the list goes on – it’s super versatile. 

Enjoy friends and let me know what you think!

Butter and Lemon Baked Basa Fillet with Tomatoes

2019-10-31 22:59:21

A deliciously light and tasty meal that is healthy and full of flavour!

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Ingredients

1. 4 Basa Fillets (defrosted)
2. 1 tsp coconut oil
3. 6 slices of butter
4. 1 lemon thinly sliced
5. 1 lemon cut into wedges (to serve)
6. 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. 4 handfuls of microgreens (to serve)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180℃
2. Grease a large baking tray with coconut oil
3. Rinse the fillets with cold water and pat dry then lay on the tray
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
5. Put a slice of butter on each fillet
6. Place slices of lemon on top
7. Then evenly place all the tomatoes on top
8. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes
9. Serve on a bed of microgreens

Notes

1. Defrosting the fish may take additional time, be sure to do this by taking it out of the freezer and placing it in the fridge the night before or defrosting in a bath of room temperature water.
2. Get the cherry tomatoes that are still attached to the stalks as this looks pretty!
3. Can be served on cauliflower mash, in a salad, in tacos etc.

Fully Well By Mel https://fullywellbymel.com/