This is a great end-of-summer meal (which I’m a little late in posting).  It’s quick, easy and full of flavor, and it’s a great way to use up the extra tomatoes that you have at the end of the summer if you have a garden.   I got my tomatoes at the farmer’s market, some traditional red ones and some green Striped Germans.  Both were delicious in this recipe. My flounder came from our local farmer’s market which sells fresh fish every Saturday. There’s nothing like a piece of fish fresh off the boat. It almost has a sweetness to it.

I thought for sure that the boys would be willing to try a piece of the fish, but no luck. They wanted nothing to do with it. I understood their not wanting to try the tomatoes, but the fish? Come on! We made them try it anyway. Our new family policy is that they have to try something new during every dinner. They don’t like the policy at all, but I figure if their palates aren’t exposed to new things they’re never going to develop a taste for anything other than the peanut butter sandwiches and plain pasta that they eat constantly.

Baked Flounder with Tomatoes and Basil
Recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine, September 2011

1 pound very ripe tomatoes, cored, quartered (halved if small)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 6-8-oz. boneless flounder fillets

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss first 5 ingredients in a large baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out in an even layer.

Bake tomato mixture for 5 minutes. Season fish with salt and pepper. Arrange fish in a single layer over tomato mixture. Roast fish with tomato mixture until fish just begins to flake, about 10 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

One year ago: Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Two years ago: Spinach and Chicken Tortilla Bake
Three years ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies