Fish with whole tomatoes and basil

On the side, we served a puree of parsnips, roasted garlic and cream cheese.

When we're on vacation, either the West Coast or the North Shore, we tend to eat a lot of fish. So I was still in the mood for some when we came home.

Red snapper with whole tomatoes and basil
Adapted from "Two Dudes One Pan," by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo

Ingredients
2 red snapper fillets
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon butter
Juice of half a lemon
5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded

Method
Season fish with salt. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add fish, skin side down and cook until browned, about 4 to 6 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook the other side until cooked through, another 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer fish to platter or serving plates. Add garlic and shallot to pan and cook about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, season with salt and cook until they start to split. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Spoon sauce over fish and top with basil.

Serves 2.

Rating: Nice. But sadly, vacation is clearly over. Nothing like a 12-hour day the first day back to remind you for why you needed a vacation in the first place.