Burst Cherry Tomato Topped Red Drum with Garlic String Beans

Warm buttery seared fish with burst cherry tomatoes, string beans and lemon butter sauce served over fluffed jasmine rice.

Did you know there are over 150 varieties of string beans throughout the world that come in all shapes and colors, including purple! These delicious and crunchy beans are low in calories and fat and contain no cholesterol. The fiber content is very high, and it also provides some of your daily protein requirements. They also act as an easy source for acquiring vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C, folic acid, calcium, iron and potassium. This recipe uses the string beans as a complement to red drum, a white, flaky fish, and burst cherry tomatoes, adding a little green to this light and summery meal.

Cooking Terms

  • Sear

    Brown ingredients quickly over very high heat, especially the surface areas.

  • Deglaze

    Use liquid to remove and dissolve browned food residue from a pan to flavor sauces, soups & gravies.

  • Chiffonade

    Finely slice herbs or leafy vegetables; best done by stacking leaves, rolling, and then slicing crosswise.

  • Baste

    Pour juices or melted fat over (meat) during cooking in order to keep it moist.

Ingredients

  • 2 each Lemons
  • 12 oz Brown rice
  • 8 oz Cherry tomatoes
  • 8 oz String beans
  • 6 each Garlic cloves
  • 10 each Basil leaves
  • 4 each Fillets of white fish
  • 2 oz Butter

From Your Home

Salt
Black pepper
Olive or canola oil

What You Need

Medium oven-proof sauté pan
Medium pot with lid

Per Serving

Calories: 510

Carbs: 45

Fat: 15

Protein: 23

Tips

  • Substitute for Red Drum Fish

    If you’re not able to find red drum when recreating the Cherry Tomato and Red Drum recipe, look for a white, flaky fish such as cod, haddock or whitefish.  These have a similar density and work well seared and baked. Lighter varieties such as orange roughy work well, but keep in mind that they may cook faster.

  • Storing Tomatoes in the Freezer

    Tomatoes can be expensive once summer is over.  During the summer, tomatoes are less expensive and easy to find at the farmers market.  Place extra cherry tomatoes in a plastic freezer bag and use a straw to suck out the extra air before fully closing.  Remember the bag will stay the shape you put it in your freezer, so make sure the bag is as flat as possible to avoid the tomatoes freezing together.  Use these during the winter when cherry tomatoes are more expensive to buy at the store.

  • Experiment with Other Grains

    The Cherry Tomato and Red Drum recipe (or most recipes) can be made with any grain you want.  Millet, quinoa, and buckwheat are whole grains that would work for this.  Use the following portions for each.

    • Millet: (similar size to quinoa or couscous, chewy, slightly nutty flavor) 1 cup grains to 2.5 cups water.  Simmer covered for 25-30 minutes until chewy but soft. This tastes best fresh but you can reheat it the next day and add a tablespoon of water to help it freshen up.
    • Quinoa: (sweetest flavor, similar size to couscous, a whole complete protein) 1 cup grains to 2 cups water.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes or until chewy but soft. Quinoa, like buckwheat, is great cold in salads or added to soups.  You can make large batches and throw it into recipes for a hidden boost of protein to save money and reduce your animal proteins.
    • Buckwheat: (similar size to couscous, nutty flavor) 1 cup grains to 2 cups water.  Simmer for 12-15 minutes. You can cook this like pasta and strain if you don’t want to worry about the accurate amount of water.  For every additional cup of grain, add 1.5 cups of water. This can be eaten cold in salads and tastes great in grain bowls. Ground buckwheat is often used as a hot breakfast cereal or in pancakes

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Steps

Mise en Place

Read through the entire recipe before getting
started. Wash and dry all produce. Preheat
oven to 400ºF. Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
Chiffonade basil leaves. Remove top and
ends from string beans. Mince or grate
garlic. Cut lemons in half and juice. Remove
white fish fillets from package; rinse and pat
dry.

Cook Rice

Place brow rice, 3 cups water and a pinch of
salt and pepper in medium pot over medium
heat. Bring to boil; cover and reduce heat to
low. Cook 15-20 min until tender. Fluff with
fork. While rice is cooking, begin searing the
fish (Step #3).
Note: If the rice has absorbed the water but isn’t
fully cooked after 20 min; add ¼ cup of water,
cover and cook for an additional 8-10 min.

Sear Fish Fillets

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in medium sauté pan over
medium heat. Season fish with a pinch of
salt and pepper. When hot, add fish and sear
3-4 min per side until brown on both sides.
Carefully remove from pan and set aside.
Note: Fish fillets wont be fully cooked at this
point.

Make Sauce

Continuing in the same pan, add garlic and
cherry tomatoes; sauté 2-3 min until lightly
burst and browned. Add garlic and cook
another 1-2 min. Add 4 Tbsp. lemon juice and
2 Tbsp. water to deglaze pan and cook until
reduced to half. Add butter, and stir well
until incorporated.

Finish Fish

Add string beans and toss. Return fish to pan
and spoon butter sauce over it. Place pan
in oven and bake for 4 min, baste then bake
another 5-6 min until fully cooked.
USDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature at
145ºF.

Plate Your Dish

Divide rice between two plates. Top with fish,
cherry tomatoes, basil, string beans and
spoon pan sauce over the top. Enjoy!