Baked Walleye w/ Roasted Asparagus & Tomatoes

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One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to eat healthier; I started out pretty good, but I’ve fallen a bit off the wagon as of late.  So lately, I’ve been trying to get back on track and finish out the year where I started.  When I’m cooking healthy, I’m always looking for new, creative ways to make things interesting; I’m not really a fan of boring food.  Fish, as you know, is very low in fat; it also takes on flavors well, so it’s very versatile.  As for different types of fish, I haven’t tried many different kinds, because I live in Wisconsin where fish isn’t abundant.  This recipe was actually my first time trying walleye at home; it was only my second time ever eating walleye.  I have to say, it’s a delicious fish, and very simple to prepare.  The cheese and breadcrumbs that top the fish really adds depth to the flavor of the fish, and the baking method is great because not only is it very easy to pull off, but it’s a healthy preparation since you don’t need to use any oil or grease.

When preparing vegetables, one of my all-time favorite methods is roasting; it brings out a nutty depth to the vegetables and it’s simple to do.  One of my favorite vegetables is asparagus, especially when roasted because it takes flavors really well (just like the fish) and it cooks relatively quickly.  Another favorite of mine is tomatoes; I’ve heard for quite some time that tomatoes are absolutely amazing when roasted, and I’ve wanted to try it out for myself.  My only problem with that idea was that it typically takes over an hour to make roasted tomatoes.  My solution:  I actually found a method for quick-roasted tomatoes while web surfing one day, and I decided to try it.  Of course, I jazzed it up with my own special touches, but I did find that quick-roasting does produce delicious results.  No description of these roasted tomatoes can truly do them justice; they’re so tender, juicy and delicious that you really need to try them yourself to understand fully how amazing they are.  This will be repeated on a regular basis, I’m sure; trust me, try them once and you’ll be hooked!

Ingredients:

For the fish:

¼ cup butter

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp lemon juice (can use fresh or bottled – I used bottled, it’s less expensive)

4 fresh walleye fillets (if you can’t get walleye, just use another fresh white fish)

Salt & pepper

¾ cup grated Romano cheese

1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (can use plain or seasoned – I used plain)

2 green onions, chopped

For the roasted vegetables:

1 bunch fresh asparagus

1 lb fresh Roma tomatoes

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Nutmeg

Sugar

What to do:

**Both the fish & the vegetables require a 450° F oven, so I’d recommend putting the vegetables in the oven while preparing the fish, and adding the fish to the oven during the last 15 minutes of roasting the vegetables.

For the fish:

Spray a large rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in 2 cloves minced garlic and lemon juice.  Mix together; remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Rinse fillets; place skin side down (if the skin hasn’t been removed already) in the baking dish, in a single layer.  Brush with lemon-garlic butter; season lightly with salt & pepper.  Sprinkle Romano cheese over the top of the fish; cover with bread crumbs; drizzle any remaining garlic-lemon butter over the top.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.  Transfer fillets to warm serving platter and garnish with chopped green onion.  When eating, peel back the skin from the bottom by using the back of a spatula (it should come off relatively easily).

For the roasted vegetables:

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus; cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the cores and seeds with a spoon.  In a large bowl, coat the asparagus and tomatoes with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Place the asparagus and tomatoes on the baking sheet (place tomatoes with the skin side down) in a single layer.  Spread the minced garlic evenly over the top of the vegetables.  Sprinkle nutmeg over the asparagus and sugar over the tomatoes (I used about a teaspoon or two of nutmeg and about a tablespoon of sugar).  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized.

Finished product:

Walleyes get their name from their huge marble-like eyes, which feature a layer of reflective pigment. This gives the fish a distinctively walleyed look, but it also means that the walleye can see quite well in dim light.