This is a simple sauce that enhances both fish and chicken. It can be made ahead and re-heated just before dinner.

Our friend, Gerry, had been kind enough to share his Striper bounty lately, so I made the sauce yesterday to serve with grilled fish. The rain interfered with the plan to grill, but as serendipity would have it, I learned something new.

A Striped Bass fillet is normally pretty thick and lends itself to grilling, poaching or baking. But the flesh is firm enough to slice crosswise to make thinner fillets. Seasoned with salt and pepper, dredged in Wondra flour and quickly seared in a combination of butter and oil, they were great. The sauce was a bonus.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, olive oil
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) stewed or diced tomatoes
1-2 TBS capers, drained
1 TBS butter
handful of fresh basil leaves, shredded

Method:

1. Film a frying pan with olive oil. Saute the diced onions until they soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute or so until you can smell the garlic.
2. Add the can of tomatoes, juice and all, crushing the tomatoes somewhat to make smaller pieces. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the juices are close to evaporated.
3. Add the capers and butter and cook for a couple of minutes until the butter melts into the sauce.
4. Stir the shredded basil into the sauce.
5. At this point, you can let it cool and refrigerate it for later use.

Note: I like to use stewed tomatoes in this sauce. They add a touch of sweetness that enhances the end product.