Baked Fish with Fennel & Leeks

Serves 6

"This dish is a family favourite. It is not fancy or difficult, but it touches a chord. For my mother, flavours such as these have served to bind our family together even though we are dispersed."

"This dish is a family favourite. It is not fancy or difficult, but it touches a chord. For my mother, flavours such as these have served to bind our family together even though we are dispersed."

250ml (9fl oz) olive oil
500g (18oz) fennel bulb, with any feathery leaves, finely chopped
700g (1lb 9oz) leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
500g (18oz) tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1kg (2lb) fish fillets (any fresh, firm, white-fleshed fish), pin boned

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Heat 100ml (3fl oz) of the olive oil in a deep saucepan, then add the fennel, leeks, and spring onions, and sauté. After a few minutes they will take on some colour. Add the tomatoes and season well. Keep simmering until everything has thickened.

Spread the mixture evenly onto a roasting tray. Arrange the fish fillets on top in a single layer, season well, and sprinkle with another 100ml (3fl oz) of the olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and let the fish cool down for 10 minutes. Dress with the remaining olive oil if you like the raw flavour of olive oil on cooked fish.