Issue 036
April 2008
TEXT: DAVID SWANN
Ingredients
1 each Cod Fillet / White fish
1 Red onion
1 Red pepper
1 Courgette
1 Aubergine
1 tin Chopped tomatoes
1 Fennel
1 clove Garlic
5-6 Caper berries (optional)
10 g Pine nuts (optional)
Method
1. Remove your cod / fi sh from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature
2. Pre-dice all of the vegetables in a similar cut, this will ensure even cooking of each vegetable, rather then one being overcooked and one under.
3. Slice the garlic wafer thin (or as thin as you can).
4. Heat a medium sized saucepan and add some olive oil, allow this to get hot and add the onion.
5. Cook this for around a minute, then add the fennel.
6. Again cook this for a further minute and then add the remaining vegetables. Sauté this for two minutes.
7. Now make a well in the pan and add the garlic, lightly cook this for a minute, add the chopped tomatoes and season well with salt and pepper.
8. This should now only take a minute to get hot. Once hot, remove from the stove.
9. Place a frying pan on the stove on a high heat. Add another splash of olive oil. Season the fi sh with both fresh salt and pepper, place the fi llet into the hot pan. Allow this to cook for just over a minute.
10. Now turn and cook on this side for a further minute. This will now be cooked, so serve immediately with your vegetables.
11. You can also add some capers to this dish, which will bring some acidity to it.
12. Finish with some pine kernels and dressed rocket if you wish.
Points to think of
This dish should only take five minutes once your vegetables are cut. You need a hot pan to cook the vegetables so they do not stew or steam in their own water. The fish also cooks in seconds, so use a hot pan and be brave. After you have cooked it, it wouldn’t hurt to allow it to rest for a further minute or two. This will ensure the residual heat will cook it through a bit further especially if you are in doubt, but it takes seconds to cook, trust me. If you cannot get cod, don’t worry, haddock would be quite similar as would sea bass, but the vegetables would work well with chicken if seafood is not to your taste.
