It sounds quite exotic and posh with the word ‘Provençal’, doesn’t it? Although what ended up on the plate was far from the recipe I was following since I added extra bits, I insist on calling it provençal sauce. I don’t like wasting food, and having seen half bunch of asparagus standing-always keep them standing in a plastic bag with a little water- in the fridge door, I decided to throw them in because I wouldn’t be cooking dinner for the next couple of days. In went the capers, too, since they are nice with fish.

I ran into a photo I took of these fabulous books I read a year ago, which take you on a journey of interesting historical events relating these two humble ingredients-but they had once been a central commodity to Europe that changed the world. Cod was in the centre of international conflicts between the British Empire and other European countries, slavery and technical developments in fishing industry including the steam engine and food processing. But above all is the discovery of North America. The effect that salt had in the history is even more complicated and significant. The resentment over the salt tax resulted in French and American revolution and the wars of independence including the one in India led by Ghandi. It was so interesting to learn how salt, which is essential to human, was associated with inhumanity. The effort to find salt brines led to the invention of drilling and hydraulic engineering in China, and salt is the reason behind the world famous hot sauce ‘Tabasco’ being enjoyed by people all around the world.

If you are looking for books to read over the Christmas holiday and you are into food and history, these two highly entertaining books, especially ‘Cod’, can be an option. I found ‘Salt’ a bit too much to digest since it is longer than ‘Cod’ and is packed with vast information, although every piece of information in the book is very intriguing.

But this is King fish, not Cod. It is quite firm, yet, very moist. If you want the original Provençal sauce, just skip the asparagus and caper parts, although I think they add vibrant looks and flavours. Well, in the end, it’s all up to you. You are the boss!

For king fish:
2 medium sized king fish steak
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Marinate the fish for half an hour before cooking.
For the sauce:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion diced
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbsp butter, softened (optional)
asparagus(optional)
capers(optional)

The Sauce

1. Sauté onions in oil with a generous pinch of salt on med-low heat until soft and golden (8-10 minutes).
2. Add tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, and white wine. Stir. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, 5 minutes, and add asparagus (only if you want), otherwise keeping simmering for further 5-10 minutes.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley.