Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 cod fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 4 red bell peppers
- 1.5 lb tomatoes
- 1/2 cup olives, pitted and torn
- 3 tbsp capers, drained
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, zested
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve and seed the peppers, halve the tomatoes, and roast cut-side down on a sheet pan 25 to 30 minutes until blistered and collapsing. Steam under foil 10 minutes, then peel the pepper skins and roughly chop everything.
- In a wide pan over low heat, warm the olive oil with the garlic and red pepper flakes until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Add the roasted peppers and tomatoes, olives, capers, lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Simmer very gently 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until everything has melted together and the oil runs red-orange. Taste and adjust salt.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Pat the cod dry and season with the remaining salt and the black pepper.
- Grill the cod 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until char marks form and the fish flakes and turns opaque. Do not overcook.
- Spoon a generous bed of the warm confit and its oil onto each plate, set the grilled cod on top, and finish with an extra spoonful of the peppers, olives, and oil.
Notes
The confit is the whole dish, so give it time; a real low simmer melds the brine and lemon into the oil without scorching the garlic. It holds in the fridge for several days and is arguably better on day two, so make it ahead and only grill the cod to order. Use a generous hand with the oil since the pooling oil on the plate is the point. Castelvetrano olives keep it mellow, kalamata push it brinier. Pat the cod bone-dry before it hits the grill or it will stick and tear; leave it alone until it releases on its own.