Whiting in piquant tomato sauce
- 4 whiting fillets, about 5 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 anchovy fillets in olive oil, minced
- splash of dry white wine
- ½ cup fish or chicken stock or water
- 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- pinch of dried red-pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of sugar
- few dashes of hot-pepper sauce
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
- fish and shellfish 87
Instructions:
This is one of the easiest and healthiest ways to cook fish.
- Trim the fish fillets to neaten the edges, then remove any pin bones with a pair of kitchen tweezers.
- Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over low to medium heat. Stir in the onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until the onion begins to soften, 4–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and anchovy and fry for 1–2 minutes longer. Pour in a splash of white wine and let it simmer until the pan is quite dry, then stir in the stock, tomatoes, pepper flakes, and oregano. Let simmer until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar and hot-pepper sauce to taste.
- Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper, then lower into the pan of tomato sauce and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the fish over medium heat until it is just firm and opaque, 3–4 minutes.
- Lift the fish out with a slotted spatula. Serve with generous spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and a sprinkling of basil leaves.