Cookbook:Sweet-and-Sour Fish

This is a fish casserole, baked in the oven. It goes well with rice. A green salad is a good side dish.

Ingredients[edit]

500-700 gr. white fish fillet (e.g., cod, haddock, hake, pollock (Boston bluefish))
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil (neutrally tasting, e.g. canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil)
2-3 medium onions sliced to make 1 cup
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1 chili pepper, finely chopped
6 medium tomatoes, sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 (heaping) Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. turmeric
(Optional) 2 Tbsp. parsley or cilantro sprig, finely chopped

Combine lemon juice, tomato paste, sugar and turmeric in small bowl, mix until smooth. Set this sauce aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot.
Sauté the onions until golden-brown and they begin to loosen their moisture. Then, remove using a slotted spoon, and layer in a oven-proof dish.
In the same oil, sauté the bell and chili peppers for 2 minutes or until softened, transfer using a slotted spoon to oven-proof dish, layering over the onions
Layer half of the raw tomatoes over the peppers.
Spread the garlic over the tomatoes, and season with half of the salt and pepper.
In the same oil, sauté the fish for 1 minute, then transfer to dish, place on top of tomatoes, season with remaining salt and pepper.
Top the fish with the remaining tomato slices.
Spread the lemon-tomato-paste sauce over the top layer.

Cover dish with aluminum foil, bake for 20 minutes.
(Now is a good idea to start cooking the rice.)
Remove aluminum foil, continue baking 10 more minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested.
(Optional) sprinkle with parsley or cilantro garnish.
Serve immediately.

The chili pepper can be replaced by chili powder or completely omitted if a less spicy dish is desired.
A can of tomatoes can replace the fresh tomatoes.

Adapted from: The Sephardic Table by Pamela Grau Twena.