Here is a great Italian recipe,Cod loin wrapped in basil and parma ham served on a bed of sunblushed tomato and pepper fettuccine. This dish is fantastic and so easy to do,but make sure not to overcook the fish. If you do not have time to make a tomato sauce then most good quality jars of sauce will suffice and you will only need to add peppers fresh basil and sun blushed tomatoes. however you will not get the rough texture that is intended with this dish.
Ingredients
For pasta and sauce
- 200g fettuccine (tagliatelle or spaghetti can be used instead)
- 25g fresh basil
- tbsp dried basil
- tbsp tomato puree
- 500ml weak veg stock (veg oxo would be adequate)
- 1 tin of chopped plum tomatoes
- 1 jar sun blushed tomatoes in brine (super markets will do them)
- i green sweet pepper finely sliced
- 1/2 white onion finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 25ml olive oil
- tsp sugar
- salt & pepper to taste
- 50ml red wine
For wrapped cod loin
- 2x 175g skinless cod loin
- 10 basil leaves
- 4 slices of parma ham
- tsp olive oil
- season to taste.
Serves 2
Method
- firstly lightly oil your cod loins and season well on both sides.
- place two slices of parma ham on your chopping board so they are next to each other facing vertically on the chopping board.
- Put 5 basil leaves covering the first half of the slices
- Place cod loin on top of the leaves, so the parma hams slices are vertical and the cod horizontal. Carefully wrap the cod loins with the parma ham. This is done by grabbing the edges of the slices and rolling them around the cod so it is firmly wrapped. Repeat process with the other loin. Wrap in clingfilm and set aside in fridge until required.
- Meanwhile sweat off onions and garlic in 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, in a medium sized saucepan on a medium heat, until onions become translucent. This generally takes 3-4 mins
- Add chopped tomatoes stock, red wine, tomato puree and dried basil. Make sure you dont put the fresh basil in until right near the end otherwise the nice green colour will spoil
- bring to the boil and add sugar.
- continue to simmer on a medium heat for at least an hour. Make sure before taking off the heat the volume has reduced by 2/3.
- Meanwhile pre heat oven to 200*c, amd put a large lightly oiled frying pan on to heat to a fierce heat
- Preheat a frying pan on a high heat and place cod into it. Cook for 2 minutes either side and then place on a baking tray and in the oven for 10-12 mins saving the pan you have just used for the peppers.
- Next fry the peppers off in the panCook for 6-7 mins or peppers are soft. Meanwhile put a lightly salted pan of water on for the pasta makes sure you put a tsp of olive oil into it aswell.
- Add sun blushed tomatoes and cook for a further 2mins.
- Once water has boiled add frsh pasta to it and bring back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5mins.
- Add tomato sauce to peppers and fresh fresh basil, cook for a further 2mins, season to taste then drain pasta and add to the sauce. Toss pasta well with sauce so it is coated.
- Place pasta on plate then Cod loin on top and serve
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