Baked Fish with tomatoes,capsicum & potatoes - Peixe Assado no Forno

I adore seafood, I guess it goes back to my childhood . Both my parents were born & raised in the Algarve which is in the south of Portugal.
Seafood, is one of this regions main staple. We ate more seafood than meat as my mother was a vegetarian, who ate small amounts of fish.
The most vivid childhood food memories I have was of eating squid in black ink with boiled potatoes, polenta with pipis, grilled sardines, sea snails cooked in a pot with lots of garlic & white wine & baked fish with tomatoes,capsicum & potatoes.
I guess this dish was my families version of a roast dinner, which is so popular here in Australia. Actually I'd never tasted a roast dinner until I was in my 20's , a Greek friend of mine married an Australian so she'd make it most weekends.

I used spanish mackerel cutlets for this dish,although you can use whole snapper,which is what my mother would use, basically you can use any fish except salmon.


Ingredients

2 large onions,cut into round slices
8 garlic cloves,chopped
8 medium potatoes,cut into slices & par boil
1/2 red capsicum
3 tab massa de pimentao (capsicum paste)
1 bunch parsley,chopped
4 fresh bay leaves
2 cups white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
4x150g spanish mackrel
4 tomatoes, sliced
salt to taste

1. Put your potatoes in a pan, add cold water with some salt & put them on the boil . When the potatoes come to the boil,immediately drain them into a colander.You just want them to be slightly cooked, but not cooked all the way.

2. Heat your pan & add your oil. Then fry your onions, when there a bit soft add the garlic,the capsicum & bay leaves. Adding the parsley stalk at this time is also a good idea as it adds flavour
3. Then add the tomatoes mixing gently so they don't break & then add the massa de pimentao(capsicum paste) & fry for 2 minutes on medium heat
4. Add the white wine,salt & bring to the boil.Just bring it to the boil & take it off, you dont want the tomatoes to brake down & cook too much,you want them to keep there shape.
5. Lay your fish raw on a baking tray, then scatter the potatoes all over the pan on top of the fish & between gaps & then pour the mixture on top. Scatter the parsley on top & a 1/3 cup of olive oil on top for extra moisture & flavour.

6. Bake the fish for 20 - 25 min at 190 degress or till your fish is cooked.
Serve with a green salad