BARGAIN OF THE WEEK: 1/2 PRICE COD LOIN

This week's bargain find is Cod Loin from Tesco at half price. (£11 a Kg) I went a little crazy and brought four packets; one for dinner tonight (See recipe Cod on Red) and three for the freezer to pull out when lacking inspiration for anything else. Cod is the fish equivalent of meat's chicken. Its firm flesh allows it to be cooked in a variety of ways and take a whole range of flavours, from Mediterranean to Indian.

This pack of two large cod-loins cost me £2.98. The total cost of this dish is around £4.00 for 2 people.


COD ON RED: A Delicious, Healthy, Weekday Supper. 


You will need: 

1 large red pepper
Half a red chilli
1 clove of garlic
2 tomatoes quartered
2 Cod loins
2 slices of bacon > preferably smoked but it's not crucial (parma / Serrano ham is also fine)
Drizzle of olive oil.

Method: 

Roughly chop the pepper and place into the bottom of a ceramic roasting dish.
Slice the bottom half of the chilli into small rings and scatter across the peppers.
Peel the garlic, thinly slice and sprinkle across the pepper / chilli mix.

Add the quartered tomatoes.
Sprinkle a light coating of smoked paprika over the veg medley. (careful not to use to much and over power your dish - a tablespoon's worth is ample.)

Wrap a slice of bacon or cured ham around the cod loin and place the wrapped cod loin on top of the vegetables.
Stick into the oven for about 20-30 mins (depending on thickness of loins)

Serve with: sparkling water and a slice of lime or an ice-cold Corona.

NOTES: I'm adding a side dish of fresh greens; asparagus and tender stem broccoli. Having watched the Hairy Bikers weight challenge, I'm going to ditch the carbs in this dish and season my green veg with lime zest rather than my usual method, which would be to slather it in butter.