Hake with Chunky "Romesco"

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 lb (1 1/2- to 1 3/4-inch-thick) skinless hake fillets
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• minced
• 1/2 cup whole almonds with skin
• coarsely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups (1/2-inch) torn pieces of baguette
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers
• rinsed and patted dry
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

1. 1

   Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

2. 2

   Coat bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil and add fish, skinned side down.

3. 3

   Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Cook garlic, almonds, and bread in 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir in parsley and spoon over fish.

6. 6

   Bake fish, uncovered, 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Loosely cover with foil and bake until fish is just cooked through, 20 to 28 minutes more (depending on thickness of fish).

8. 8

   Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.

9. 9

   Coarsely chop red peppers in a food processor.

10. 10

    Add vinegar, cayenne, and remaining 1/4 cup oil and pulse until just combined.

11. 11

    Serve fish topped with sauce.