Ottolenghi's Sweet & Sour Cod w/ Peppers

This is a delicious dish for any season.

It is another Ottolenghi recipe that I am now in love with.

You make this fragrant sweet & sour sauce and marinate the fish in the sauce overnight.
It's better the day after it is made, but it is still good served warm over rice the night you make it.

The NY Times adapted the recipe a bit by steaming the fish in the oven w/ a pan of boiling water on the oven floor (which I did).
Ottolenghi's original recipe has you coat the fish w/ flour and saute. I like the steamed fish idea better, then reheating the fish in the yummy sauce.

How do you feel about laying a fried egg on top?
I'm in.
This would be a delicious dish to serve at brunch.

Ottolenghi's Sweet & Sour Cod w/ Peppers: (adapted from the NY Times & The Guardian)

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onions, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 bell peppers (a mix of yellow and red), cut into thin slices
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 tomatoes, chopped or a small can of chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 tbsp sugar or honey
3 tbsp cider vinegar
kosher salt and black pepper
1 lb. of Alaskan cod (or other white fish)
fresh cilantro for garnish

You can cook the cod however you like, but the Times suggests you place a pan of boiling water on your oven floor (bottom shelf is fine)........and heat the oven to 300F.

Lay the fish on an oiled baking sheet lined with foil.
Sprinkle w/ kosher salt & pepper. Bake the fish 15 minutes. The fish will be cooked, but no browning will result, sort of like steaming it in the oven. It worked out nicely, in my opinion.

While the fish is cooking make the sauce.

Heat some olive oil in a large heavy skillet and saute the onions and peppers a few minutes on medium.
Add in the garlic and curry and cook another minute or two.

Add in the sugar, vinegar and the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are breaking down and the sauce is coming together. This doesn't take very long, it will be done by the time the fish is done.

Place the fish into the sauce (I broke it up into 4 pieces). Simmer the fish in the pepper sauce for 5 minutes.

You can now serve the fish over rice if you like, or refrigerate and eat it tomorrow cold or at room temperature.

I sprinkled fresh cilantro over the dish for some color and brightness.

Really yummy and so easy!