There are two constants in the late summer here in Virginia—I have a pile of tomatoes on the kitchen counter, and it’s hot as hell outside. This combination of seasonal excess leads to one of the simplest and most delicious cold meals you can make: olive oil-poached fish with tomatoes. Poaching fish in olive oil adds a bright and light richness to the fish without weighing it down or drowning out the subtle flavors. And, the best part—it’s great served chilled.

Making this poached fish ahead of time is a game changer for those evenings when the thought of turning on the range is out of the question. Fresh fish, olive oil, tomatoes, and some herbs, it’s all my favorite summer things on one plate. But this method of cooking can work with any season–given you have access to fresh, firm fillets.

High-quality fish is the most important part of this recipe. Fresh is best, but properly frozen fish will work. Fish that is freezer burnt or improperly cared for will yield mediocre results. This type of cooking method highlights the quality of the fish—the only required ingredients are salt, sugar, and oil. There isn’t a lot of extra stuff in there to hide “old fish” taste. I usually make this dish with large firm fish like tuna, swordfish, or cobia, though you can certainly cook any fish with these methods, just adjust your cooking time accordingly.

I use two different cooking techniques to poach fish in EVOO: a traditional poach and a sous vide version. Both methods yield similar results, but there is a slight edge to the sous vide method for a few reasons. It minimizes the amount of oil you need, requires less attention, and is extremely consistent.

Regardless of the method you choose to use, the first steps are the same. Make sure the fish you are using is trimmed up, remove any chewy connective tissue, and rinse with cold water to remove any blood. Pat dry and submerge in a brine (recipe below) for 20 minutes per inch of thickness. Remove the fish from the brine, pat dry, and proceed to cook with your preferred method.

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Brine the FishStir brine ingredients together to dissolve and cool to about 40°F before use. Submerge fish in brine for 20 minutes per inch of thickness. Keep refrigerated. Remove fish from brine and pat dry.

Traditional Poaching Method

1. In a deep-sided, heavy-bottomed pan, add enough high quality olive oil that it will completely submerge the brined fish.
2. Optionally, add in aromatics. Fresh garlic, bay leaves, peppercorn, and herbs are all fair game. I like to add a couple of peels of lemon rind, peppercorns, a couple cloves of garlic, a few sprigs of oregano, and a bay leaf.
3. Heat the oil over medium-low heat until it reaches 180-200°F. Adjust heat and hold the oil at this temperature for about 5 minutes to allow the aromatics to infuse the oil.
4. Pat the brined fish dry, and using a slotted spoon, lower the fish into the heated oil. Maintain heat for 5 minutes per inch of thickness, then remove the pan from heat and allow the fish to cool down in the oil. The fish is now ready to serve or can be stored cold in the oil for a few days.

Sous Vide Poaching Method

1. Heat the sous vide water bath to 125°F.
2. Pat the brined fish dry and place in a vacuum bag, add 2 tablespoons of oil and your preferred aromatics. Seal the bag and place it in the preheated sous vide bath.
3. Cook for 30 minutes per inch of thickness. Remove the bag from the bath and cool in an ice bath. The fish is now ready to serve or can be stored cold in the sealed bag for up to a week.