Oven-baked fish, layered, with Lebanese sauce

To prepare a delicious and aromatic dish, we start with a garlic paste, essential for marinating the fish fillets. In a bowl, we crush a few cloves of garlic, which we vigorously mix with 50 ml of olive oil. It is important to mix well until the mixture becomes creamy and slightly thick, which will help the flavors penetrate the fish. Then, the fish fillets are drizzled with fresh lemon juice, generously seasoned with salt and pepper. On both sides, we sprinkle rosemary, an aromatic herb that will add extra flavor. After coating with the garlic paste, we place the fillets one on top of the other in a dish, inserting bay leaves between them for added aroma. We cover the dish with a lid and refrigerate it for at least an hour, during which the fish will absorb all the flavors.

In the meantime, we take care of the side dish. We pour 150-200 ml of oil into a baking tray and add the peeled and chopped potatoes. We mix well, ensuring each potato is evenly coated with oil. We form a first layer of potatoes, seasoning it with salt, pepper, paprika, and a bit of chopped parsley. Then, we add a layer of onions, followed by green, yellow, and red peppers, each diced and nicely arranged. We drizzle with a bit of oil (about 25 ml) and cover the tray with aluminum foil, then place it in the preheated oven at medium heat for 20-25 minutes.

After this interval, we remove the tray from the oven and take off the foil. We place the marinated fish fillets on top of the vegetables, drizzle them with white wine, and cover again with foil. We leave them in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, so the fish cooks evenly and acquires a juicy texture. Once the time has passed, we remove the foil, drizzle the fillets with the remaining oil, and leave them in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until they turn golden and appetizing.

To serve the dish, we ensure that the vegetables have a delicious appearance at the bottom of the plate, and the fish fillets are carefully placed on top. This dish is served alongside a Lebanese sauce, which can be prepared in two delicious variations. Variation I involves heating yogurt over very low heat, stirring constantly without letting it boil, and adding starch dissolved in yogurt. Subsequently, crushed garlic, chopped dill, and vegeta are added, allowing the sauce to thicken over low heat. Variation II includes, in addition, sugar and grated horseradish for a more intense flavor. Regardless of the choice, the sauce should sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to intensify the flavors. Thus, this dish becomes a culinary feast, perfect for a family meal or a special occasion.

 Ingredients: We need: -1-1.5 kg cod fillet -juice from 1 lemon -2-3 garlic cloves, crushed -50 ml oil, for garlic paste -1.5 kg peeled potatoes cut into 0.5 cm thick slices -2-3 large red onions, sliced -3 peppers (red, yellow, green) cleaned from stalk and seeds and sliced -salt (vegetable seasoning) -pepper, freshly ground -paprika -rosemary -fresh parsley, finely chopped -2-3 bay leaves -200-250 ml olive oil -200 ml white wine For Lebanese sauce: Version I: -2-3 cups of thick natural yogurt -2 tablespoons starch (flour) -3-4 garlic cloves, crushed -1 teaspoon vegetable seasoning (salt) -2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped Version II: -Ingredients from Version I, plus: -1 teaspoon grated horseradish -1 teaspoon red pepper paste -1 teaspoon sugar

 Tags:  onion greenery garlic tomatoes potatoes pepper flour oil wine sugar olives lemon