Roasted Cod With Garlic Cream Sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap garlic in foil and bake for 35 minutes. Cool garlic, cut top off its head, and use a knife to squeeze garlic from peel.

Prepare the cream sauce in a heavy saucepan. Cook garlic, cream, potato, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste over low heat until potatoes are almost done, 5-7 minutes.

Place a third of the cod in a roasting pan, pour cream mixture over it, and bake until the fish is completely cooked, 10-15 minutes.

Strain sauce into medium-size saucepan, discard thyme, and reserve vegetables and fish. Over moderate heat, reduce sauce by half, remove from heat, add vegetables, flake fish into sauce, then cover and keep warm.

Lower oven to 350 degrees F. Season remaining cod with salt and pepper. Heat peanut oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Brown fish on both sides, then roast in oven for 10 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, reheat sauce over a low flame.

To serve, spoon sauce on bottom of large serving platter and place roasted filets on top. Place dollops of tapenade on top of fish and serve.