By A good week in real estate: 2 closings, 7 new leads, the satisfaction of matching families with houses the way Mama matches fillings with phyllo — instinctively, confidently. I brought spanakopita to an open house. The buyers ate it. They made an offer.
Dimitri stopped by the bakery Saturday morning to eat spanakopita and tell Mama she is doing things wrong. She told him he had his chance. They argued. They ate. They loved. In that order, which is the only order this family knows.
I stood in my kitchen this evening and looked at the counter where I have made a thousand meals for my family and thought: this is what I do. I feed people. I sell them houses and I feed them food and I keep showing up because showing up is the only recipe that never fails.
I made avgolemono tonight. The broth was golden, the lemon sharp, the rice soft. Comfort in a bowl, the Greek answer to everything. We ate at the kitchen table, just the three of us, and for a moment the house was not quiet or loud — it was exactly right. Full. Fed. The sound of forks on plates is the sound I love most in this world.
The olive oil in my kitchen is from a Greek import shop in Tampa that sources from Kalamata. It is expensive. It is worth it. I use it on everything — salads, fish, bread, vegetables, the edge of a pot of soup — because olive oil is not a condiment in this family, it is a philosophy. Use it generously. Use it without apology. Use it the way you use love: poured freely, never measured, always more than you think you need.
After a week like this one — closings, open houses, spanakopita on a platter that somehow sealed a deal — what I needed next was another meal that did exactly what good food is supposed to do: hold everyone together at the table. Avgolemono warmed us that night, but this fish casserole is the dish I come back to when I want that same feeling with a little more substance, the kind of thing you pull from the oven and set in the center of the table without ceremony because the food speaks for itself. I drizzle my Kalamata olive oil over the top before it goes in — generously, never measured — because that is the only way I know how to cook.
Fish Casserole
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs firm white fish fillets (cod, halibut, or tilapia), cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced, for topping
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Sauté the aromatics. Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Build the sauce. Stir in the diced tomatoes, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, letting the flavors come together. Remove from heat and fold in the olives.
- Layer the casserole. Spread half the tomato mixture across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the fish pieces in a single layer on top. Spoon the remaining tomato mixture over the fish evenly.
- Top and finish. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the casserole, lay the lemon slices across the top, and drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the top is lightly golden.
- Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes out of the oven. Scatter fresh parsley over the top and bring it straight to the table. Serve with crusty bread or over rice.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 320 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 480mg