Quick Mediterranean pickled fish

Ingredients:

Caponata:

• ¼ cup (60ml) good-quality olive oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 each red and yellow peppers, diced
• 3 baby marrows, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 small brinjal, diced
• ½ cup (125ml) tomato passata sauce or tomato purée
• ½ cup (125ml) red wine vinegar (white balsamic or apple cider vinegar works too)
• ¼ cup (60ml) brown (or regular) sugar
• Salt and milled pepper
• ¼ cup (60ml) sultanas or raisins (optional)
• 2 punnets (250g each), mixed cherry tomatoes
• Handful mixed olives
• Small handful capers

Fish:

• 8 (about 800g) firm hake medallions (defrosted hake fillets can also be used)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• Flour, for dusting
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Handful chopped parsley and basil, for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan and add onion.
2. Fry for a minute, then add peppers, marrows and brinjal.
3. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
4. Add passata, vinegar and sugar and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season well.
5. Stir through the remaining ingredients and remove from heat.
6. Season fish, dip in egg and dust with flour.
7. Shallow–fry in hot oil for 4-5 minutes or until just cooked through.
8. Tuck cooked fish into caponata and cool.
9. Scatter with fresh herbs just before serving.