Crispy Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes and Potato Leek Hash

I need to start working on making fish more often.  I just get kind of intimidated with buying good quality fish, cooking it in a way that turns out well, and not having it go to waste on my kids (who often don't like fish). 

Tonight though, my littlest one LOVED the fish eating his fillet, half of mine, and his brothers (who true to form refused all but his no-thank-you bite of fish).  So, I guess I just need to buck up and make fish more often.  It wasn't hard to make and it turned out well. 

Crispy Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes and Potato Leek Hash

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2012

Tomatoes:
2 Tbsp. kalamata olives, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
salt/pepper, to taste
1/4 c. fresh basil, thinly sliced
Fish:
1 c. panko
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried thyme
4 6-oz. skinless flounder fillets
cooking spray
salt/pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
Hash:
1 package refrigerator shredded hash brown potatoes
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 tsp. thyme
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a large oven proof skillet, toss olives, olive oil, and cherry tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

In a shallow dish, combine panko, parsley, and thyme.  Rinse and pat dry fish fillets.  Generously coat each fillet with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.  Dredge fillets in panko mixture and set aside on a plate.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Add potatoes, leeks, 1 tsp. thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 12 minute or until golden brown, stirring frequently.  Set aside when done. 

When oven is heated, put tomatoes in oven and bake for 20 minutes.

 While tomatoes are baking, heat oil to cook fish.  Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil at a time over medium-high heat.  Add 2 fillets to pan and cook 3 minutes per side or until reaches desired doneness.  Remove from pan onto a plate lined with a paper towel.  Repeat with remaining fish.

When tomatoes are done, top with basil.  Serve fish with hash and tomatoes.  Yum!

Husband Rating: 5 out of 10

Food for Thought: The original recipe called for capers instead of kalamata olives.  I think capers would also be delicious in this recipes and would like to try that next time too!  I thought that having hash browns for dinner was a little odd but am willing to maybe give this meal another shot but with maybe doing the potatoes in another format.  I guess I am a hashbrowns for breakfast kind of gal...