Prepare the fish broth: place a couple of handfuls of fish trimmings (salmon or similar) in a pot, cover generously with water, and add 1–2 bay leaves and a few peppercorns (the original ingredient list says “Peppers 5–6 pcs” — whole peppercorns fit the technique). Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 40 min. Strain and reserve 250 ml for the dish.
Pat 500–600 g fish fillet (pike perch, hake, or pollock) dry. Season lightly with salt and cut into roughly 4 cm pieces.
Heat 50 ml vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the fish pieces for 2 min per side, just until lightly golden (they should not cook through). Transfer to a plate.
In the same skillet, add the remaining 50 ml oil. Finely chop 2 onions and sauté over medium heat for 6–8 min, stirring often, until soft and pale gold.
Stir in 3 tbsp tomato sauce and ground red pepper to taste; cook 1–2 min until fragrant and the colour deepens.
Pour in the reserved 250 ml fish broth, season lightly with salt, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (355 °F). Scatter 1–2 bay leaves and 5–6 peppercorns across the bottom of a heavy ovenproof pot (or individual clay pots), then arrange the fried fish in a single layer on top.
Pour the tomato-onion broth evenly over the fish. Sprinkle with 0.5 head of finely chopped garlic and 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (dill and parsley work well). Cover the pot with a lid.
Bake for 50 min (reduce to 35–40 min for small individual pots), until the fish is tender and infused with the broth. Serve straight from the pot with boiled potatoes alongside.
Ingredients
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe