Here's a delicious and no-fuss butter-baked fish with lemon, tomato, and dill. It's light, fresh, and pairs perfectly with a crunchy green salad and crusty bread.
While I've used snapper in this recipe, feel free to substitute your favourite fish, such as salmon, rockling, blue grenadier, or flathead.
You can also cook the fish on a barbecue. Simply wrap each fish fillet in baking paper then foil and bake on the BBQ with the lid down for the same amount of time as you would in an oven. Keep in mind, if your fish fillet is quite thin, reduce the cooking time by 3-5 minutes.
For larger gatherings, simply adjust the quantities based on the number of people you're serving and wrap each fillet individually.
As always, please let me know if you make the recipe @gatherandfeast and feel free to ask any questions.
Ingredients
Gluten-free, Paleo 
7 minutes preparation time + 25 minutes cooking time 
2 - 1 large fillet of fish, enough to serve 2 (I've used a snapper)
- 30g salted butter (I've used Westgold)
- 1 large clove garlic
- A handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1 small lemon
- A small handful of fresh dill fronds
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Sea salt flakes
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Place the fish fillet on a paper-lined baking tray, ensuring the paper is large enough to fold and enclose the fish.
- Divide the butter into 2 equal portions (roughly 15g each) and place them on the fish.
- Thinly slice the garlic and scatter it over the butter and fish.
- Add a few whole cherry tomatoes, then slice and add the remaining ones.
- Thinly slice half of the lemon and place the slices over the fish.
- Season with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt flakes.
- Sprinkle with fresh dill fronds and squeeze over the juice of half of the lemon.
- Close the paper around the fish, folding it together in the middle and around the edges to seal in the steam during baking.
- Bake at 180°C/350°F for 15 minutes if your fillet is thinner than normal, and 20 minutes if the fish is thicker than 2 inches.
- Serve with a fresh green salad and crusty bread. Enjoy!
NOTES
- While the recipe suggests using a large fillet of fish, preferably snapper, you can also use other firm-fleshed fish varieties such as blue grenadier, flathead, halibut, or salmon. Adjust cooking times accordingly based on the thickness of the fillet.
- Salted butter is used in this recipe to add flavour, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer to control the salt content. Additionally, you may substitute with olive oil for a dairy-free option.
- Ensure the garlic cloves are thinly sliced to evenly distribute flavour throughout the dish. Adjust the amount of garlic according to personal preference.
- Cherry tomatoes are recommended for their sweet flavour and quick cooking time. You can also use grape tomatoes or diced regular tomatoes if preferred.
- Slicing the lemon thinly helps release its juices and infuse the fish with flavour. Use fresh lemon for the best results.
- Fresh dill adds a vibrant, herbaceous flavour to the dish. If unavailable, you can substitute with other fresh herbs like parsley, basil or caves.
- Folding the parchment paper around the fish helps create a sealed packet, trapping steam and ensuring moist, tender fish. Ensure the packet is securely sealed to prevent steam from escaping.
- Adjust the baking time based on the thickness of the fish fillet. Thinner fillets may require less time, while thicker fillets may need additional time to cook through.
- Always use caution when opening the parchment packet, as hot steam will escape. Open away from your face to avoid burns.
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