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1
Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and set aside.
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2
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet (that can be covered) over medium heat.
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3
When it shimmers, add the fennel, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until fennel starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
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4
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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5
Add the wine and raise heat to medium-high.
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6
Simmer until wine reduces slightly, about 2 minutes.
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7
Add the tomatoes along with their juice.
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8
Simmer until the sauce thickens and the fennel is soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
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9
Reduce heat to medium-low.
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10
Stir in the olives and capers.
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11
Add the fish, nestling it into the sauce.
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12
Cover skillet and simmer until fish is opaque all the way through, 8 to 10 minutes.
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13
Fish overcooks quickly, so watch carefully.
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14
For fillets thinner than one inch, check at the 7-minute mark.
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15
If the fish is opaque, it's done.
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16
Gently stir basil into the sauce, and serve with lemon wedges.
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17
Make it Faster:
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18
An even quicker version of this dish is Spicy Sauteed Fish with Olives and Grape tomatoes, which is ready in under 20 minutes: Salt and pepper the fish, then cook in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 3 minutes on each side.
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19
Transfer to a platter and keep warm.
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20
Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon red peper flakes, 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved, 1/4 cup chopped, pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives, 3 garlic cloves, minced, and the grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon to the pan and cook until the tomatoes are soft and juicy, about 3 minutes.
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21
Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then spoon over the fish and serve with rice to catch all those delicious juices.
