Another fish, besides whiting, which is popular in England, is cod, but few cooks seem to realise that there are many ways of making it appetising and that it need not invariably be boiled. I always think that plain " Boiled Cod " is one of the most painfully insipid things, even when accompanied by an alleged " Oyster Sauce," which is so rarely what it pretends to be. Cod, being somewhat tasteless, requires other ingredients which will make it tasty and it wants high seasoning. Here is a pleasant way of disguising it, which hails from Portugal.

Ingredients

A few slices of cod, about 1/2 an inch thick, 1/2 a lb. of tomatoes, 1 onion, butter, flour, 1 glass of red wine, mixed herbs, 1 or 2 bay leaves, salt, pepper and cayenne.

Method

Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying-pan and when hot, add gradually 1 tablespoon of flour, and let it brown. Chop the onion up very finely and fry it in this till well browned. Now add the tomatoes, which should be quartered, and crush them well with a spoon. Pour over them 1 cupful of hot water, and a wineglassful of red wine, and add the herbs. Season highly with salt and pepper and mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes, and then place the slices of cod in this sauce. Cover the pan with a dish and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes or till the fish is quite tender. Dish up, and decorate with small croutons of fried bread.