Mediterranean Pan Fried Cod

A nice little fish dish here. You should always have to be careful when accompanying fish like cod so as not to over power it and drown out the delicate flavour of the fish.

Approx 30 - 40 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 x good quality cod fillets (Lindsay Bro's Mongers, Grainger market if you are in NCL) @broslindsay

1 x Red pepper, sliced

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

1 x Garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp dried oregano

1 x large red skin potato, peeled and  chopped into 2.5cm cubes

Baby leaf spinach

Plain flour for dusting cod fillets

Salt & Pepper

1 Squeeze of lemon juice

Olive Oil

1 tsp sugar

Method

First, get your potatoes on in a pan of salted water. Bring up to the boil and cook for 20 - 25 mins or until soft and tender.

Heat the oil up in a sauce pan on a medium heat and then add the garlic and red pepper, cook for 2-3 mins or until the peppers are starting to soften.

Now add the chopped tomatoes and the the dried oregano, turn the heat to low and let this sauce simmer gently and reduce for approx 20 mins. Stiring occasionaly.

Now for the fish, dust the fillets in plain flour. Shake off the excess.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil on a medium/high heat in a large frying pan and then add the fillets making sure they are skin side down. Fry for 3-4 minutes and then turn with tongs, then fry for another 2-3 minutes or until the fish flesh is opaque and the skin is crispy and golden. Season with salt and pepper.

By now your sauce should be nicely reduced, when using cans of tomatoes I more than often add 1 tsp of sugar just before the end of cooking to take the sharpness off the sauce. You may or may not want to do this, its down to preference but since we are cooking with cod I use the sugar.

Drain your potatoes off and serve with wilted spinach (pan with a dash of cold water, and wilted for 1-2 mins on a med/high heat with a lid on) your sauce and the cod fillet placed on top with a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice.