2 lb. white-fleshed fish (cod, haddock, hake or scrod), skinned, boned and cut into steaks or fillets
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. olive oil
2 1/2 c. peeled, chopped tomatoes or 1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes, drained and crushed
4 tbsp. tomato paste
salt and black pepper to taste
3/4 tsp. crushed sweet red pepper or 1 tsp. imported sweet paprika
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
3/4 c. white grape juice
1 1/2 c. fish broth or bottled clam broth
granulated or brown sugar (optional)
French or Italian bread

Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover lightly and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Sauté onion in olive oil until browned, stirring constantly, to prevent scorching. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, red pepper, parsley, white grape juice and fish broth. Stir to blend. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain fish. Add fish to stew; return to simmer and cook gently until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Taste; adjust seasonings. If mixture is too tart, stir in a bit of sugar.

Cut 4 thick slices of bread; place one slice in each 4 deep soup plates or bowls. Ladle hot stew over bread, dividing fish as equally as possible among bowls. Serve immediately. Pass extra bread so diners can blot up every last bit of the delicious sauce.