Alcatraz served the best food of any Federal prison. Here is a favorite of the convicts.
2 pounds Atlantic cod fillets
2 lemons, sliced
1/2 cup toasted, blanched almonds (dry-roasted in a 400 degree F. oven for 5 minutes)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 roasted bell peppers (jarred is fine)
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 slice white bread (stale is ok)
1 - 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (this is a good time to roast the almonds). Arrange fish in roasting pan with a little olive oil. Place lemon slices on top and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make Romesco sauce: In a food processor with a steel blade, put almonds, tomato paste, red bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika and bread slice. Process until smooth. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs with salt and basil.
Remove cod from oven and press down on the lemons with the back of a spoon to release juices onto fish and set aside(you can use lemon for garnish). Generously top fillets with bread crumb mixture and spoon the pan juices over the top to moisten. Switch oven to broil and return pan to oven for just a minute or two to brown the top. Transfer to a serving platter and top with dollops of Romesco sauce. NOTE: I like the Romesco thick so it won't soften the crunchy top, but you can more olive oil if desired. Serves 4.