I often cook fish this way, in a cold, non-stick pan—sometimes with the skin down, sometimes without the skin as I do here—and cook them covered. The steam generated from the cooking process makes it so that I don’t have to turn the fish. The very simple tomato sauce is just a purée of fresh tomato with salt, pepper, a dash of oil, and butter. I can use the mixture cold as a gazpacho, or I heat it in the microwave for a minute or two to serve as a sauce. It’s easy to do and delicious.

Sautéed Scrod with Instant Tomato Sauce

Recipe details

Serves

2

Ingredients

For the Fish

  • 2 pieces of scrod or cod, about 5 oz and 1-inch thick each
  • Salt and pepper to taste (PepperMate grinder recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

For the Sauce

  • ¾ cup diced ripe tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste (PepperMate grinder recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Method

  1. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and rub well with the teaspoon of olive oil. Place the fish in a cold non-stick skillet, cover, and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish and your preference.
  2. Meanwhile, place tomatoes, butter, oil, salt and pepper in a blender; blend until smooth. Heat in microwave until warm, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. To serve: Spoon the sauce onto a plate, set the fish on top and sprinkle with chives.