Seafood and Meat Recipes - Cod Fillet in Tomato and Tarragon Sauce with Peas Recipe

Ingredients

• 200 g/7 oz mangetouts (snow peas)

• 200 g/7 oz pumpkin

• 50 g/2 oz dried tomatoes

• 600 g/1 1/4 lb sea bass fillets

• salt

• pepper

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 shallot

•  2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 sprig rosemary

• 50 ml vegetable stock (broth)

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh savory

For the tomato butter:

• 500 g/18 oz over-ripe tomatoes

• 1 clove garlic

• 100 ml/3 1/2 fl oz (1/2 cup) vegetable stock (broth)

• some balsamic vinegar

• 25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) chilled butter pieces

• 2 tablespoons whipped cream

• herb salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 1 small bunch basil, cut into strips

Serves 4

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Method:

1. To make the tomato butter: remove the stalks and cut in half. Peel the clove of garlic and crush. Puree the tomatoes and garlic with the vegetable stock (broth) in the liquidizer.

2. Put the pureed tomatoes in a saucepan, bring to the boil and then strain through a clean cloth. Reduce the liquid to 1 00 ml/3 1/2 oz (scant 1/2 cup).

3. Cut the mangetouts (snow peas) into diamond shapes and cook in the steam until ready. Peel the pumpkin and cut into small cubes. Dice the dried tomatoes.

4. Season the sea bass fillets with salt and pepper. Peel the clove of garlic and shallot and chop both finely. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and rosemary and fry briefly. Add the fish fillets and fry, turning the fish now and again. Just before they are ready, remove them from the pan and put to one side.

5. Fry the pumpkin and dried tomatoes in the remaining fat. Add the vegetable stock (broth), mangetouts (snow peas) and season with salt, pepper and savory. Return the fish fillets to the pan and finish cook until done.

6. Add a little balsamic vinegar to the reduced tomato stock (broth). Add pieces of cold butter to the tomato stock (broth), stirring constantly.

7. Fold in the whipped cream. Season the tomato butter with salt and butter. Add the basil. Pour the tomato butter onto four warmed plates. Arrange the vegetables and fish fillets.

Note: Sea bass is also known in Provence as "loup de mer" or "sea-wolf" because of its threatening appearance. It has few bones and the delicate flesh is delicious.