INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
garlic (optional)
600ml (1pt) chicken or vegetable stock
450g (1lb) tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree fresh or dried basil (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
180g oven-baked cod
Method
Melt the butter gently in a saucepan. Add onion and fry gently until softened (add garlic along with, if you are using). Add the stock then add tomatoes and tomato puree. Cover and simmer on lowest heat for 1/2 to 1 hour (depends on how hungry you are) until tomatoes are well and truly softened and the colour is nice and even. Be sure to stir a good few times to prevent sticking. You now need to sieve the soup to get rid of tomato skins, pushing with the back of a wooden spoon, stirring and scraping to get all the juices through, then discard the skin, pips and onion. Return to the heat for a minute or so and add basil, salt and pepper to taste and flake in the baked cod. Serves 2 to 4 depending on bowl size and appetites!