Oven-baked wolffish steak is a simple hot fish dish that suits both an everyday meal and a festive table. The simplest and tastiest way to cook wolffish fillet is to wrap it in foil and bake it in the oven. Olives, capers and tomatoes add a Mediterranean note to the fish, which makes the dish even tastier. Oven-baked wolffish is served hot, so it fits best for lunch or dinner when a light but substantial main course is needed.
Wolffish works well in this recipe because the fish is baked gently in foil and stays juicy. Olive oil coats the fish and helps the flesh stay tender in the oven. Cherry tomatoes bring freshness and a little moisture, while green olives and Kalamata olives add a salty, rich flavour. Capers strengthen the savoury taste, and garlic with dried oregano gives the dish a clear Mediterranean aroma without making it heavy.
The main thing to watch during cooking is the preparation of the fish and the foil parcel. Wolffish needs to be defrosted in advance in the refrigerator, or for 30 minutes in cold water directly in its packaging. After defrosting, trim the fins, wash the fillet, dry it and salt it lightly so the fish does not release extra water into the foil. Wrap the foil edges well so the fish bakes in its own steam and the topping stays on top. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 25 minutes.
The vegetable topping should stay simple and coarse rather than finely chopped. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters, and cut both Kalamata olives and green olives into halves. Chop the garlic finely after removing the germ, then mix the garlic with whole capers, the tomatoes and the olives. Spread the mixed topping over the fish after seasoning the fish with olive oil and oregano, so the flavours cook together in the same order as the recipe intends.
The most sensible swaps are small and should keep the same character of the dish. One type of pitted olive can replace the two kinds of olives if both are not available, although the flavour will be less layered. Parsley is used only for serving, so it can be omitted if needed. Rice and fresh salad are suggested as side dishes, and both support the fish without competing with the salty, bright topping.
Serve oven-baked wolffish hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley, with a side of rice and a fresh salad. The fish is at its best straight from the oven, when the flesh is still moist and the tomatoes, olives and capers are warm and fragrant. The foil-baked juices can be served together with the fish, because the juices carry the flavour of the olive oil, oregano, garlic and vegetables.
Keep leftover oven-baked wolffish refrigerated and eat it within 1 day. Store the cooled fish in a closed container so the fish does not dry out and the olive and caper aroma stays clean. Reheat the fish gently in the oven or eat it cold if preferred, but the texture is best on the day it is cooked.
No, the recipe says to defrost the wolffish first. Defrost the wolffish in the refrigerator in advance, or for 30 minutes in cold water directly in its packaging, then trim, wash, dry and salt the fish lightly.
Bake the wolffish in a preheated 180°C oven for about 25 minutes, as the recipe states. Oven-baked wolffish is ready when the fish is hot through and the flesh has cooked gently inside the sealed foil parcel.
Yes, one kind of pitted olive can replace the two kinds of olives if needed. The dish will still work, but using both green olives and Kalamata olives gives the baked wolffish a fuller Mediterranean flavour.
Serve oven-baked wolffish hot with chopped parsley, rice and a fresh salad. Rice and fresh salad match the salty olives, capers and tomatoes without overpowering the fish.
