Name: Cod with Simple Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 pcs onion; 2 cloves garlic clove; 200 g fresh mushroom; 2 tbsp margarine; 1 can canned chopped tomato; 2 dl water; 100 g black olive; 800 g cod fillet or cod loin; 2 dl barley rice; 2 stick fresh basil

UntrainedChef

Tips from the kitchen

The mushrooms need to actually change colour before you add the tomatoes. If they still look pale and wet, give them another minute or two. Rushing this step means watery sauce.
Cut the cod into chunks that are roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time. A thick loin piece and a thin tail piece will not be done together.
Check the fish at 15 minutes by pressing a piece gently with a fork. It should flake apart without resistance. If it still feels springy, give it a few more minutes with the lid on.
Taste the sauce before you add the fish. The olives bring salt, so go easy when seasoning the tomato base. You can always add more at the end.

Ways to vary it

If your family is not big on olives, capers work well here instead. Use about a tablespoon, rinsed. They give a similar briny note without the texture.
You can swap the cod for another firm white fish like haddock or pollock. Avoid anything too thin or delicate, it will fall apart in the sauce before it is cooked through.
A pinch of chilli flakes added with the tomatoes gives the sauce a gentle kick. Completely optional, but worth trying if you like a little heat.

Storage & leftovers

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed container. The fish does not freeze well once it has been poached, it turns grainy when thawed. To reheat, warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water so the sauce does not dry out.