Recipe: Under-appreciated local white fish shine with ginger, lemon, gold potatoes, and tomatoes

Serves 4

I eat fish often enough to know exactly where to go to get the freshest (if you don't have a dependable vendor, try your neighborhood farmers' market) and how much everything costs. It also means that though I could practically exist on a diet of halibut, swordfish, striped bass, salmon, and tuna, my wallet would explode if I kept that up too long. I weave in bluefish and mackerel, both more reasonably priced, and the large array of locally caught white fish, often the cheapest fish in the market, that are not cod: haddock, pollock, hake, and flounder. Those four fish are deeply under-appreciated, mostly because they're plain. That's where your skill comes in. Yes, you can deep-fry or pan-fry them, but that doesn't take cooking know-how. You should master a couple of simple methods that are as easy as sliding a swordfish steak on the grill. Bake these plain white fish on a bed of vegetables with some dramatic seasonings. You can't grill white fish because it'll dry out. You can't roast it for the same reason. But you can set it on baby golden potatoes, which are sliced and steamed until tender, along with wedges of tomato, and a generous sprinkle of grated fresh ginger, lemon rind, and lemon thyme (or regular thyme). The fish fillets hardly need seasoning. You cover the dish tightly with foil for its half hour in the oven. When it's done, squeeze lemon juice over the fish and add more of that lovely lemon thyme. A little chicken or vegetable stock or clam juice that cooks in the dish mixes with the sweet fish juices to sit in as a sauce. The dish is light, summery, easy on the budget, and delicious on the plate.

1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Have on hand a saucepan fitted with a steamer insert.

2. Cut each potato into 3 slices. Fill the saucepan with enough water to come up to the level of the steamer rack. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, cover, and steam for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Arrange the tomatoes on the potatoes. Sprinkle with lemon rind, ginger, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the thyme. With the back of a large kitchen spoon, lightly press the tomatoes and potatoes to make an even layer.

5. Set the fish on the vegetables, skinned side down. If there are small tail ends on any of the pieces, tuck the tail ends under so they do not overcook. Pour the hot stock or clam juice into the pan at the edges. Cover with foil.

6. Bake the fish for 30 to 35 minutes, or until it looks opaque and flakes easily with the tip of a knife. Divide the fish and vegetables among 4 shallow plates. Spoon the juices in the bottom of the dish over each piece of fish. Sprinkle with lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon thyme. Serve with lemon.

Sheryl Julian