Cod Tail in Red Wine

Cod Tail in Red Wine

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 cod or hake tail, about 340g / 12 oz
• 50g / 2oz butter
• 70g / 3 oz plain flour
• ½ bottle red wine
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter on quite a high heat in a large pan then add the tail and, standing over the pan to keep moving the tail, quickly cook its entire surface to seal it.
2. Add the wine, turn down the temperature and simmer for 15 minutes. 
3. Remove the tail and keep warm. Remove a cupful of wine and blend with the flour to a smooth paste. Return flour mixture to pan and stir rapidly to blend. Season to taste.
4. Cut lengthways along the side of the tail, through the skin with a sharp knife. Once the skin is cut through, it should be easy to remove the flesh from the bone, in four pieces - the top half and bottom half of one side of the bone, and ditto on the other. 
5. Serve with the sauce.