Fish Fillets Steeped in Fresh Tomato Sauce

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 1kg small fish fillets, eg tarakihi, gurnard, small trevally
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 250g shallots or onions, finely diced
• 300g Roma or beefsteak tomatoes, blanched, skinned and diced
• 4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 ribs and tender leaves of celery, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 teaspoons tender rosemary leaves
• 1 small dried chili, whole
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• half cup white wine
• DRESSING
• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• half cup white wine vinegar
• half cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Carefully remove bones from fish and cut each fillet into 2-3 pieces, depending on size. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow glass or earthenware baking dish. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Put the olive oil and onions in a medium-sized saucepan and fry gently until the onion is transparent. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Check seasonings and while the sauce is still boiling pour it over the fish. Put in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes until the fish is barely cooked. An indication that the fish is cooked is that clear or whitish cooking juices will begin to escape from the fish. The fish will continue to cook when it is removed from oven, so be careful not to overcook it.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Trickle the vinegar over the top, followed by the olive oil. Cool and then cover and refrigerate.

Suggested Wines to Go With Today's Recipe

Hunters

Kahurangi (Moutere – Nelson)

Fiddlers Green

Kim Crawford Dry

Montana Five Flax

Seifried Estate

Wairau River