Ready in minutes, this ‘super-simple’ fish dish is as vibrant as an Amalfi sunset

Name: Ready in minutes, this ‘super-simple’ fish dish is as vibrant as an Amalfi sunset
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 4 x 150g pieces of boneless, skin-on snapper fillets; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 250g cherry tomatoes (any colour or a mix), halved; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 40g whole, pitted black olives; 20g salted capers, rinsed; 3 tbsp white wine; a big handful of fresh basil leaves

Danielle Alvarez

February 12, 2026

Serve with salad and potatoes for a romantic dinner for two or as an easy weeknight meal.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

This super-simple fish dish is a celebration of summer tomatoes. The sauce takes only minutes to make and complements fresh, crisp-skinned snapper perfectly. Serve as a romantic dinner for two or as an easy weeknight meal with a leaf salad and roast potatoes.

Ingredients

4 x 150g pieces of boneless, skin-on snapper fillets
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
250g cherry tomatoes (any colour or a mix), halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
40g whole, pitted black olives
20g salted capers, rinsed
3 tbsp white wine
a big handful of fresh basil leaves

TO SERVE

lemon wedges
green salad
roast potatoes (optional)

Method

Step 1
Season the snapper with salt on both skin and flesh sides and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Step 2
Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan and, when it’s hot, carefully place the fish, skin side down, in the pan. Immediately press the fish down using a spatula and maintain that pressure for the first minute of cooking. This is to keep the skin in contact with the pan and prevent the fish from “bowing”, causing it not to crisp up in the middle.
Step 3
Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for about 1-2 minutes on the flesh side to finish cooking through. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside. Leave the olive oil in the pan.
Step 4
Add the tomatoes to the pan and allow them to cook for a minute before adding the garlic, olives and capers. Sizzle together for about 30 seconds to infuse their flavour into the oil, then add the white wine and allow to simmer for about 1-2 minutes so the alcohol burns off and all the flavours marry. Add the basil leaves at the last second and toss together.
Step 5
Spoon the tomato sauce over the crisp fish fillets, then serve with the lemon wedges, green salad and potatoes (if using).