SERVES FOUR

INGREDIENTS

350g/12oz ripe plum tomatoes
75ml/5 tbsp olive oil
2.5ml/ 1/2 tsp sugar
2 strips of pared orange rind
1 fresh thyme sprig
6 fresh basil leaves
900g/2lb fresh cod fillet, skin on
salt and ground black pepper
steamed green beans, to serve

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/ Gas 8. Coarsely chop the tomatoes.

Heat 15ml/1 tbsp of the olive oil in a heavy pan, add the tomatoes, sugar, orange rind, thyme and basil, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft.

Press the tomato mixture through a fine sieve, discarding the solids that remain in the sieve. Pour into a small pan and heat gently.

Scale the cod fillet and cut on the diagonal into four pieces. Season well.

Heat the remaining oil in a heavy frying pan and cook the cod, skin side down, until the skin is crisp. Place the fish on a greased baking sheet, skin side up, and roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve the fish on the steamed green beans with the tomato sauce.

COOK’S TIP
Cod is becoming increasingly rare and expensive. You can substitute any firm white fish fillets in this dish. Try haddock pollock, or that excellent and underrated fish, coley. When raw, coley flesh looks grey, but it turns white on cooking.