TOMATO-POACHED COD
Serves: 4
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil 1 dry shallot, thinly sliced Salt
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) dried red chili flakes or to taste. If you like hot flavours, stir some harissa (1/2 to 1 tbsp/7 to 15 ml) into the oil when cooking the shallot
1 can (28 oz/796 ml) chopped tomatoes and their liquid (alternatively use whole tomatoes and chop them before adding to the recipe)
1 cup (250 ml) low-salt vegetable stock, or water Freshly ground pepper
4 cod fillets, 5 oz (150 g) each
1 cup (250 ml) fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves and fine stems, coarsely chopped
Toasted crusty bread
1. Heat oil in a wide, shallow frying pan over medium heat until simmering (surface almost ripples). Add shallot and some salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and chili flakes, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Pour in tomatoes and stock, and raise heat until boiling. Lower heat so mixture simmers, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until liquid is slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle fish with salt and add to pan of sauce, adjusting heat so mixture simmers gently. Cook until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork, about 5 minutes, spooning sauce over fish occasionally. Turn fish over halfway through cooking.
4. Serve fish in heated bowls, spooning sauce over each fillet. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley. Serve with toasted bread for dipping.