Baked Arctic Char with Tomato and Basil

About This Recipe

Arctic char, a cold-water fish native to Canada's northern lakes and rivers and increasingly farmed sustainably across the country, has a flavor and texture similar to salmon but slightly milder and more delicate, making it well suited to simple preparations that don't overwhelm it. Here, fillets are baked directly over a bed of cherry tomatoes that blister and burst in the oven's heat, releasing their juices to form a light, naturally sweet pan sauce that needs nothing more than fresh basil and a finishing drizzle of olive oil. The technique relies on timing: tomatoes go into the hot oven first to start softening and releasing juice before the fish is added, since char cooks quickly and would overcook if it went in at the same time as raw tomatoes. Once the fish is added, the whole dish finishes together in well under 15 minutes, keeping the char moist and letting the tomato juices reduce just enough to coat the fillets. It's a dish that showcases Canada's growing focus on sustainable, farmed Arctic char as a menu staple, prepared simply enough for a weeknight but polished enough for company.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4Arctic char fillets(about 150g each)
• 400 gcherry tomatoes
• 4 tbspolive oil(divided)
• 3 clovesgarlic(sliced)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspred pepper flakes
• 0.5 cupfresh basil leaves(torn)
• 1lemon(sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the tomatoes

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss cherry tomatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a baking dish. Roast for 8 minutes until starting to blister.

2. 2

   Add the fish

   Nestle the char fillets among the tomatoes, skin-side down. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and top with lemon slices.

3. 3

   Bake

   Return to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the fish flakes easily and the tomatoes have burst into a light sauce.

   Check char a minute or two early — it cooks faster than salmon and dries out quickly if left too long.

4. 4

   Finish and serve

   Scatter torn basil over the top and serve straight from the dish, spooning the tomato juices over each fillet.

Variations

• •

  Substitute salmon or trout if Arctic char isn't available; both share a similar richness.

• •

  Add sliced fennel to the tomato bed for a subtle aniseed note.

• •

  Swap basil for fresh dill for a more classically Canadian, less Mediterranean-leaning version.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and eat cold over salad rather than reheating, which tends to overcook the delicate fish further.

Frequently Asked Questions