Ingredients

• 4 8-ounce boneless and skinless fillets of white fish, such as red snapper or hogfish
• Sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, finely grated on a Microplane
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 1/2 cups grape tomatoes (about 40), cut in half
• Pinch of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup chiffonade of fresh basil (from about 16 basil leaves)

Procedure

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Combine garlic and crème fraîche together in small bowl.
2. Place a ceramic oven-safe baking dish on the center rack of the hot oven for 5 minutes. You can use either individual ceramic oval baking dishes (5 1/2 by 8 inches), or a large ceramic baking dish (9 by 13 inches). Add 2 tablespoons butter to hot dish (or between the four individual dishes), using wooden spoon to spread butter over bottom of baking dish. Place fish skin-side-down on the buttered baking dish. Cover with the crème fraîche. Bake until the fish is just cooked though (opaque and flaky), about 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in an 8 1/2-inch sauté pan, melt the remaining butter over medium-low heat. Add the tomatoes with a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook until the tomatoes soften and burst, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Remove fish from oven, sprinkle with basil, and spoon tomatoes over the top. Serve immediately with warm, crusty bread.