Preparation

Heat a finger of oil in a pan and, when hot, fry in it the basil leaves. Put them aside on absorbent paper.
Peel the tomatoes and chop them into four parts. Remove their seeds and make a confit while covered with oil over low heat.
Grill the cod with its white side down, until it releases the gelatin and forms a crust. Turn it and grill it on the other side.
With a brush, paint the plate diagonally with the olive paste.
Put the tomato confit in the centre of the plate. Put the cod on top and a drizzle of basil oil around it.
Add the fried basil on top.

An aromatic cod

Xavier Matarrodona prepares a cod loin accompanied by olive paste and flavoured with basil.

One of the fish which is mostly present in traditional Catalan recipes is cod, which we prepare in multiple ways. The chef of the Cullera de Boix restaurants, Xavier Matarrodona, suggests a cod loin recipe (the juiciest part of the fish) that will come in handy to relieve your stomach after heavy meals. It is accompanied by tomato, olive paste and the aromatic touch of basil, which not only provides it with great flavour, but also freshness, while encouraging us to face a new day with energy.