• 6 medium-sized whiting or mullet, filleted, or 1 3-pound piece of halibut, fresh cod, or haddock, cut in a slice 1½ inches thick
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 2 cups red wine
• 4 tomatoes, peeled and quartered, or 1⅓ cups canned, quartered
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons savory
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 12 little black Niçois olives, unpitted, or 6 black oil-cured olives
• ½ cup capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sprinkle the fish fillets or slices with 1 teaspoon of the thyme. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the fish 3 minutes on each side,* turning delicately with a spatula. Let it cool and then carefully remove the skin with a sharp knife.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, add onions, and stir for 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, savory, and salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Purée the mixture through a Mouli mill into a bowl. Put half of the purée in a wide pan or baking dish. Place the fish on it, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with the rest of the purée. Cook, uncovered, on top of the stove for 20 minutes.

Add the olives and capers, check the seasoning, and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.