Fish fillet baked on a vegetable bed

Ingredients:

• 1 whole salmon half (about 1.8 kg), tail end, boneless but skin on
• Olive oil
• 2 small Italian eggplants
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 large zucchini, cut crosswise into 2.5 cm pieces
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 3 finely chopped cloves of garlic
• 1 liter of cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• A pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced ​​vertically (use a vegetable peeler if available)
• Crispy Herb Breadcrumbs (see recipe below)
• 1 bunch of fresh basil
• 225 g unsalted butter at room temperature

Crispy Herb Breadcrumbs:

• 1/2 loaf of country bread (crust trimmed)
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 1/2 bunch of basil
• Olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 260°C.
   
   Start by preparing a vegetable bed for the fish.Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 10 minutes until soft. Transfer to a plate. Add the zucchini and sauté until soft, then transfer to the plate with the eggplant.
   
   Place the mashed anchovies, onion, garlic, and fennel in a saucepan. Cook for 5-7 minutes until caramelized, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are wilted. Season with salt and pepper, and add red pepper flakes. Combine all the vegetables in a large baking dish.
2. Now prepare the fishAsk the fishmonger to prepare the tail end of the fish so that it is clean, boneless, and ready to cook.
   
   To begin, make vertical slits in the fish in four places, placing it skin-side up, cutting through the skin to the flesh. Make basil oil by chopping half a basil leaf and mixing it thoroughly with room-temperature butter. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   Season the fish with salt and pepper and brush the surface with basil oil. Then, remove the whole fish and place it on a bed of vegetables in a baking dish.
   
   Sprinkle the oiled fish with breadcrumbs.
3. Place the pan in a hot oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until medium-rare, then finish grilling for 2 minutes to crisp the skin. Don't overcook the fish, or it will be dry.
   
   Divide the fish into portions along the cuts and serve with vegetables.
   
   Make crispy herb breadcrumbs. Place the bread, herbs, garlic, and 1/3 cup olive oil in a food processor and pulse until coarse bread crumbs form. The mixture should be bright green from the olive oil and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat in a large skillet until the crumbs are crisp.