Rachel Roddy’s Recipe For Fish Baked With Tomatoes, Olives And Capers | A Kitchen In Rome

Al cartoccio is nan Italian shape of en papillote, meaning “contained” aliases “in paper”, which is an effective cooking method that traps nan moisture (and flavour) released from nan ingredients and creates a steamy poaching enclosure – it’s a spot for illustration a Turkish bath for food! Once retired of nan oven, but still sealed, nan scented steam trapped successful nan insubstantial returns to liquid and creates a brothy sauce. Fish pinch patient achromatic aliases pinkish soma that breaks into fat flakes is peculiarly good suited to cooking al cartoccio, some full food (cleaned and connected nan bone) and individual filets (estimate 110g-140g per person).

When choosing fish, support successful mind our corporate default to cod and haddock, some members of nan alleged “big five” that dress up a staggering 80% of UK consumption. Instead, look retired for different species, specified arsenic hake, huss aliases North Sea plaice, ASC-certified Scottish salmon, oversea trout aliases farmed rainbow trout. For much elaborate and updated advice, nan Marine Conservation Society produces an invaluable, area-by-area bully food guide that uses a five-tiered strategy to rank some “best choice” and “fish to avoid” based connected nan species, location and sportfishing method. Also, don’t hide really good food freezes, truthful ever cheque nan stiff nutrient section, too.

Typical seasonings for food cooked al cartoccio are lemon, parsley, oliva lipid and salt, possibly a dash of barren vermouth aliases wine, which, erstwhile combined, nutrient a wonderful, fresh-tasting broth. A change, and a seasonal, summery variety is to beryllium nan food connected segments of fleshy saccharine tomatoes, which (especially if nan herb is peeled and nan seeds flicked away) illness into an almost-sauce reminiscent of puttanesca, on pinch oliva oil, slivers of garlic, mini achromatic olives and capers aliases caper berries. I besides for illustration a fewer fennel seeds aliases feathery caller fennel fronds, which adhd a pleasing, aniseed note, if you for illustration that benignant of thing.

To protect nan precious juices, I assistance nan pouches connected to plates and fto everyone unfastened their own, but not without a informing that nan steam tin puff retired rather aggressively. Once everyone has cautiously tipped everything connected to their plate, walk astir buttered potatoes, rice, couscous aliases toast rubbed pinch ail and oliva oil; mayonnaise aliases aïoli is besides awesome here.

The different day, I made aïoli according to Alastair Little, which was besides a logic to propulsion his book, Keep It Simple, disconnected nan shelf. He is an advocator of nan nutrient processor for aïoli, pinch 1 ovum yolk and 2 crushed ail cloves for each 300ml oliva oil-sunflower lipid added successful a dependable stream, positive citrus juice and achromatic capsicum to taste. It’s an emphatic condiment for a steamy braise.

Fish baked pinch tomatoes, olives and capers

Serves 4

1 large, fleshly beefsteak tomato
4 tbsp oliva oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
4 x 110-140g fillets firm-fleshed achromatic fish (eg cod, bream, hake)
4 parsley sprigs
16 olives
2 tbsp capers
Fennel seeds, aliases feathery fennel fronds, to sensation (optional)
100ml achromatic wine

Heat nan oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and hole 4 squares of baking insubstantial measuring 23cm.

Peel nan herb by covering it first pinch boiling h2o for 2 minutes, past dunking it into acold water, astatine which constituent nan tegument should propulsion away. Cut nan herb into 12 aliases truthful segments, past discard nan seeds and immoderate achromatic bits.

Rub nan centre of nan 4 pieces of insubstantial pinch oliva oil, past put a mates of segments of tomatoes successful nan mediate of each one. Insert a sliver aliases 2 of ail into nan gaps, sprinkle pinch brackish and apical pinch a tablespoonful of oliva oil. Lay nan food fillets connected apical of nan tomatoes, past apical each 1 pinch a sprig of parsley, a mates of bits of tomato, a fewer much slivers of garlic, a fewer olives, capers, fennel seeds aliases fronds, if you want, immoderate brackish and pepper, and a small much oliva oil.

Lift up 2 other edges of nan insubstantial and fold over, crunching nan edges to shape a long, sealed pouch. Lift nan pouches connected to a baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes, aliases until nan food flakes easy pinch a fork and nan tomatoes are very tender and sauce-like.