Morue Rôtie à la Sauce Tomate (Roast Salt Cod with Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients:

600g fillets of salt cod
800g tomatoes
1 carrot
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 small bunch of parsley
2 sage leaves
1 sprig of thyme
100ml olive oil
2 tbsp (heaped) plain flour
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

The day before, wash the cod, place in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Every 90 minutes to 2 hours drain off the water and replace with fresh water to help extract the excess salt from the fish. Just before you go to bed, make sure to change the water again.

The following day, rinse the fish fillets carefully, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut into large batons (sticks), dust with flour, arrange on a plate and set aside.

For the tomato sauce, blanch, peel and core the tomatoes then finely dice the flesh. Peel the carrot and finely dice. Peel and slice the onion and the garlic.

Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion, garlic and carrot and fry for about 4 minutes or until the onion is soft. Now stir in the tomato pulp. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add the thyme and sage, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes, or until thickened. At the very end season to taste and stir in the parsley.

For the fish, add the remaining oil to a large frying pan. When hot add the fish pieces and cook until nicely browned on all sides (about 6 minutes).

Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve the fish hot, accompanied by the tomato sauce and steamed baby new potatoes.