Method

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• 2.
  To make the confit tomatoes, combine tomatoes, oil, garlic and fennel seeds in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring halfway, for 1 hour or until tomatoes are tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

• 3.
  For sauce vierge, place extra oil, basil and vinegar in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes to infuse. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool completely.
• 4.
  Heat 2 large non-stick frypans over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs confit tomato oil to each pan. Season flathead, then add 1 flathead, belly-side up, to each pan. Cook for 2 minutes each side, then transfer to oven and cook for 6 minutes or until just cooked through.
• 5.
  Place fish on 2 serving plates, spoon over tomato confit and drizzle with sauce vierge. Scatter with chervil and fennel fronds, if using, and serve with lemon wedges alongside.