Keeping it clean: fish in sweet and sour pepper sauce

Well, ragazzi. Annalena has been away a few days, but it seems that you have been keeping yourselves busy, haven't you?  Many of you seem to be making spaetzle and fruit gels.  The spaetzle recipe, which Annalena posted on the 25th of November - a mere 3 weeks ago - is about to become the second most hit upon recipe in this entire blog. And well over 100 of you have looked at the cranberry chuckles.

BUT NONE OF YOU ARE COMMENTING.  Annalena needs your voices.  What is it about these recipes that makes you want to read them?  Please let Annalena know.

Ok, now as some of you may have gathered, Annalena's most recent health report was less than an A+ .  Her blood pressure and cholesterol were both deemed marginally high, and she was told to lose weight.  All fair, but of course, this means adjusting the way one cooks, and eats.  And Annalena has found a very valuable ally in Ms. Martha Rose Schulman, who writes a column on healthy recipes for the NY Times.  This is an adaptation of one of her recipes, which is itself an adaptation of another recipe.  (And that's how we cook, carini).

Normally, Annalena would not be giving you a recipe that used peppers in December; however, when she went to her farmers market on Monday last... she found some!  Certainly not perfect, and certainly not what she would put out in a salad, but for a slow cook like this... yes, yes, yes.  And for those of you who find yourself with time, and then no time, to cook, this is perfect.  It is a fish recipe that in fact can sit for a few days (refrigerated, ragazzi).  So, let's make it.  If you need to go to the supermarket or your health food store to get a couple of peppers, Annalena gives you dispensation.

Let's start by preparing our veggies.  Get a big onion, peel it, and then slice it in half, lengthwise.  Then, slice the halves into half moons, thinly.  Put that aside.  Next - and this is an "if" amici - you have coriander seeds, or if you like them, and can get them, pour out a tablespoon. This is a strong flavor, so be warned.  Then, slice up two bell peppers.  If you have red, or yellow, fine.  If you don't, you can make do with riper green ones.  Just don't go with two completely green ones, as the flavor of the dish will not be the same.  Also chop up two cloves of garlic.  If you like curry, pour out two teaspoons of whatever your favorite is (Annalena does recommend this).  You will also need 14 ounces of canned tomatoes, with their juice. Annalena does not bother with small cans of tomatoes, so the other half of a large can will have to be used for something else. Like vegetarian or chicken chili, for example.    You also need a couple of tablespoons of honey, and a quarter cup of either white, or white balsamic, or apple cider (the preferred type) of vinegar.

And finally, the fish... Now, the recipe Annalena had was for cod; however, Annalena had monkfish.  Use a firm white fish, of whatever type you have.  DO NOT use flounder, cod, or sole, but if you have halibut, or monkfish, or cod, or haddock, or hake or anything like that, that is what you want.  Do not change the quantity of anything else.  Plan on 6-8 ounces of fish per person, and then go forward, thinking you'll serve 2-4 people, depending on how much fish you have.

Ok, here we go.  Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a big skillet.  Add the onions, and the coriander seeds, if you use them, and cook with frequent stirring, until you see the onion begin to go translucent.  Now add the peppers, and a good quantity of salt ( a big pinch).  It is hard to oversalt peppers, as they have so much liquid.  Keep stirring, and eventually the peppers and onions will go soft.  (In the alternative, bring the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and check every couple of minutes.  It should take you 6-8 minutes to get everything soft).  Now, put in the garlic, and if you use the curry, that too.  Stir for a minute until you smell that curry.

Good, huh?  Ok, now we add the tomatoes, and if you happen to have a couple of bay leaves, put those in too.   Put the heat to medium, if you lowered it, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until you see the tomatoes reduce some.  Stir in your honey and vinegar,  add salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes or so.

NOW we get to the fish.  Put the fish pieces , whatever type you use, into the sauce.  Surround the fish with it as best you can, cover the pan, and then simmer .  You need to check this frequently, because different types of fish take different times to cook.  Monkfish, for example, takes longer than cod. Test by putting a soft knife (like a butter knife), into the thickest portion of the fish, and checking if it's done.   When it is, take everything off the heat, and let it cool down.

Taste  your sauce.  Annalena could have used more vinegar (no comments, mein Kinder), but the Guyman thought it was fine.  If you're eating, serve it, or if not, put it away and let it sit in the fridge for a day, two days, or even three. Then reheat it  very gently.

Any grain you can think of will go with this.  Annalena and the Guyman ate it with emmer.  This is recommended.  Rice will do very well, as will any of the heartier, whole grains. Perhaps kasha or barley if you're branching out.

Ragazzi, we all have to save our calories.  This one comes in at about 300 calories a portion. And it's tasty.  One cannot fairly ask for more.