Italian Inspired Fish Provencal

When you think of Provence you don’t think of Italy, you think of France. A place that is in the southeastern part of France that boarders Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. Life seems good there as the summer weather is superb, the wine is good and the pasta is delicious. But was it always?

The Greeks were the first to inhabit southern France as well as southern Italy, but when the Roman Empire was at its peak they dominated the Greeks and not only took back their land in Italy, they also took sections of Provence all the way to the easternmost towns of Rémy, Orange and Arles. We all know that the Romans dominated the entire Mediterranean basin, but they did incorporate a lot of Greek culture, replicated their architecture and enjoyed their food.

With all this mingling of distinct cultures you can see why different ingredients are combined to create delicious recipes that Provence is known for. This Fish Provencal is simple, easy and tasty. You can add other ingredients like shrimp, capers, olives and clams, if you like. Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs cod, sea bass or haddock fillets, pat dry and cut into bite size uniform pieces.
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
2 green onions, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2-2/3 cup dry white wine
Fresh dill for garnish

Directions:

In a skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat then add the onions and garlic until soft, not browned. Add the remaining butter and sauté the celery and green onions, until soft. In a pan with a lid layer the vegetables and fish, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle on the herbs de Provence and top with the tomato slices. Pour wine over entire mixture, bring to a soft boil then cover. Reduce heat to med/low and simmer for 12-14 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve immediately.