Thomasina Miers’ recipes for cod with courgettes, green olives and lemon, and a blackberry and almond slice

There is something so simple but so delicious about a parcel of fish. Like unwrapping an edible present, the smell hits you before anything else, which in this case is fennel, thyme and lemon. It is a delicate way to cook fish, so the sauce needs to have some character, and basil, olives and lemon with a slick of olive oil make a beautiful, late-summer seasoning. Round off the feast with a blackberry and crisp almond pastry slice that tastes all the better if you forage your own fruit.

Cod with courgettes, green olives and lemon (pictured top)

The sharp acidity of the lemon and olive herb salsa is stunning with the gently baked fish.

Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced (using a mandoline, if you have one)
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
1 large cod fillet (600-700g)
3 courgettes, green or yellow
1 lemon
2 tbsp butter

For the salsa
1 lemon, thinly sliced
75g green olives, pitted and chopped
1 handful picked fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
1 handful picked fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
1 tsp honey
2 tsp sherry vinegar

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Put the fennel and shallots in a bowl, toss with two tablespoons of oil and season generously.

Lay a large sheet of baking paper on a baking sheet. Put the oiled veg into the centre, fold over the sides of the paper to cover, then bake for 15 minutes. Unwrap and stir the vegetables, then cover again and bake for another eight to 10 minutes, by which time the vegetables should be translucent and fragrant.

Unwrap the parcel again, lay the fish on top of the vegetables and season well. Thinly slice the courgettes and lemon and arrange on top of the fish, then season and dot over the butter. Wrap the parcel back up and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flaky.

Meanwhile, make the salsa. Char the lemon slices in a hot, dry pan until they’re starting to blacken and caramelise, then remove and roughly chop, peel and all. Transfer to a small bowl, add the chopped olives, herbs, honey and vinegar, and stir. Taste, and add more salt, honey or a dash of vinegar, if need be, to balance the flavours.

Once the fish is cooked, baste it with the juices from the package, then cut into four. Serve the fish and veg on warmed plates, topped with the salsa and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. This is lovely served with boiled potatoes to soak up all those flavours.

Blackberry and almond slice

Thomasina Miers’ blackberry and almond slice.

The almond pastry is crisp and delicious, the insides wonderfully chewy and dense. If you find enough blackberries, make a quick pot of homemade jam for this; if not, shop-bought will do.

Prep 5 min
Chill 45 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Makes 9 squares

Put all the pastry ingredients in a food processor and blitz until they just start to come together. Turn the pastry out on to a cool work surface, pat into a ball, wrap in greaseproof paper and refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer cream the butter and sugars for three or four minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in well before adding the next, then fold in the vanilla, salt and ground almonds.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 26cm square. Butter a 26cm x 26cm square baking tin and lay the pastry on top, gently pushing it into the corners and edges.

Spread the jam evenly over the pastry, followed by the almond mix, smoothing it out with a palette knife. Dot the blackberries over the top, pushing them gently into the batter, then scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden and set, then remove and leave to cool in the tin.

Remove from the tin, sift over a little icing sugar, cut into squares and serve.

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