Hapuka on roasted bell pepper and tomato sauce with toasted pinoli pine nuts

High-protein pine nut are an incredible addition to our pantry of secret ingredients. Matched with the smoky roasted bell pepper tomato sauce, it is a delicious combination. Both the toasted Pinoli pine nuts and the sauce can be served with just about anything – over steamed broccoli, with roasted pork, on a steak or even roasted chicken. It’s important the sauce is allowed to return to room temperature before serving.

Ingredients

½ cup	Pine nuts, (try use Marlborough Pinoli pine nuts) (Main)
6 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
3 medium	Ripe tomatoes, halved (Main)
3	Red bell peppers, halved, stem and seeds removed (Main)
½ tsp	Smoked paprika
⅕ tsp	Cayenne pepper
1 medium	Garlic clove, peeled, minced
1 sprinkle	Sea salt flakes
2 Tbsp	Sherry vinegar, (or red wine or pomegranate vinegar)
4 pieces	Hapuka fillets, 200g each (Main)
2 Tbsp	Chopped Italian parsley
½	Lemons, grated zest only
1 Tbsp	Lemon juice
1 handful	Rocket, to garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. Toast pine nuts in an oven tray until golden, tossing once, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside for serving.
3. Grease oven tray with 1 tbsp olive oil. Lay tomato and bell pepper halves on prepared tray and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven then using tongs, transfer cooked peppers to a bowl. Cover with clingwrap and allow to stand until cool. Leave tomatoes to cool in oven tray. Once cooled, remove skin from peppers and tomatoes and discard.
4. Coarsely chop pepper flesh and place in a food processor along with tomatoes and cooking juice. Pulse until almost smooth but leaving slightly chunky. Transfer to a bowl and add paprika, cayenne, garlic and 3 tbsp olive oil. Combine well, season with salt flakes then allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
5. Reheat oven to 175°C. Grease a baking tray with 1 tbsp olive oil. Lay fish fillets on prepared tray.
6. In a small bowl combine remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, parsley, zest and lemon juice. Spoon over fish fillets followed by a sprinkling of salt. Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until just cooked. Remove fish from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Pour any cooking juice from fish into sauce.
7. Divide sauce between plates then top with cooked fish. Garnish with fresh rocket and a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts.

See more of Simon's nutty recipes

• Parsnip almond truffle soup
• Cashew carrot romesco on toasted sourdough with pickled mushrooms & smashed avo