Palamida "plaki" - Atlantic Bonito fish fillets baked with potatoes and tomatoes

This is a very tasty fish to cook and one of the favourites during Spring and Summer when Atlantic Bonito passes through Mediterranean Sea every year. In Greece "Palamida" is very popular because it is so tasty and meaty but also quite versatile in cooking since it can be found grilled, baked and even pickled, the well known "Lakerda". A pickled dish served as an ouzo meze or as a side dish next to lentils, haricots and other dried pulses soups. Well known and popular in Turkey as well

Adated from a recipe of Vassilis Kallides,
a prominent Head Cook and food author
"Cook Book" magazine from "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4 people):
1 ½Kg of Atlantic Bonito fish
3 large yellow onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, cut in halves
5 ripe plum tomatoes
3 medium potatoes, cut in thin slices
1 tea-cup of olive oil
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 leveled tsp of sugar (optional -my addition)
½ a glass of white dry wine (optional -my addition)
½ a glass of water
a few drops of white wine vinegar
salt
pepper

Method:
Ask your fishmonger to prepare the fish for you and cut it into thick slices. At home rinse the fish well and pat dry. Drizzle with the vinegar, season with salt and leave in a colander.

Preheat the oven to 175°C.

Peel the tomatoes by dipping them briefly first in very hot water and then immediately into icy water. Then cut the tomatoes in half, discard the seeds and the juices and cut into small cubes.

Put the tomatoes in a bowl along with the parsley, the sugar (if used) and the onions and stir.

Lightly grease a spacious oven pan with some oil. Lay the fish slices in one layer and fill the gaps with the potato slices. Pour over with the tomato and herb mixture and season with salt and pepper. On top scatter the garlic.

Pour with the wine (if used) and the water and cover the pan with some foil. Put in the oven and initially bake for 45 minutes. Uncover the pan and put back in the oven, cooking for another 15-20 minutes until the fish is cooked through (but not dried), the potatoes lightly golden and in the pan there is a nice oily sauce.

Serve immediately along with a crispy green salad.