Fish in Almond Sauce

FOR ALMOND SAUCE: Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and place in the oven until toasted and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Place 1/4 cup of the almonds aside to use for garnish. Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade or a nut grinder, finely grind the remaining almonds, being careful not to overgrind to a paste. Set the ground nuts aside.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the paprika, garlic, ground almonds, bread crumbs and the saffron, if using, and sauté for 3 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes and stock or wine and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

If using the peas, bring a saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the peas and boil until barely tender, 3-6 minutes.

FOR FISH: Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Sprinkle the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper and place in a single layer in a baking dish. Spoon the sauce over the fish, add the peas, if using, and bake in the oven until the fish is opaque throughout, 10-12 minutes. Garnish with the reserved toasted almonds and the parsley or mint. Serve at once.