Italian Baked Fish with Salsa Verde

I can’t claim any credit for this recipe as it’s one from my absolute favourite cookery writer, Delia Smith.  The original recipe is in How To Cook book two (Oven-roasted fish with potatoes and salsa verde).   

I would post a link to the recipe on the Delia Online website, but I am having problems accessing it at the moment, since unwisely clicking on a link on an acquintance’s Facebook page.  I know, I should have known better! 

Anyhow, I digress!  This is an absolute beauty of a recipe so I knew I had to share it with you all.  It’s a regular feature in my kitchen.  I make up a big batch of the sauce at once and keep it in a small Kilner jar in the fridge. 

As always, I’ve modified the recipe slightly in using over the years but this is what I use : 

1 bunch of fresh basil

1 bunch of fresh parsley

1 big clove of garlic

6 anchovies

1 tb capers

1tsp English mustard powder

Juice of a lemon

½ cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper 

I use a mini-chopper to make this, and chop the herbs, garlic, capers mustard powder and anchovies together with the seasoning, then add the lemon juice and olive oil.  I actually like it quite lemony so I always use the juice of the whole lemon.  The original Delia recipe uses 4 anchovies, 1½ tb of lemon juice to 6tb of olive oil, and wholegrain mustard in place of the English mustard powder.

I usually spread a dessertspoonful of the sauce over a fillet of fish and cover with a layer of sliced par-boiled potatoes.  Then add a sprinkling of grated cheese – I use cheddar and a little parmesan.  Bake in the oven at 180^oC for approximately 20 minutes, until the cheese is nicely browned and the fish cooked through.

In the depths of winter this beauty of a dish really livens up the palate!  I usually serve it with green vegetables – peas, beans or broccoli; but salad would be nice too.