Olives, Lemons and Za'atar: The Best Middle Eastern Home Cooking by Bishara Rawia

Author:Bishara, Rawia
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Octopus
Published: 2019-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

fish & shellfish

Tanoreen Baked Fish

SAMAK BEL FURRON

I learned how to prepare this wonderful party dish from two men who worked for me at Tanoreen. Neither of them were cooks, but they often talked about the way their mothers baked fish. I borrowed their basic method and added some of my mother’s touches – peppers, tomatoes and potatoes. I consider myself a very picky fish eater, but this is so good that I put it on the Tanoreen menu. If you are using fillets, buy the fish whole and ask the fishmonger to fillet it for you. Serve with Rice and Vermicelli Pilaf.

SERVES 6–8

9 garlic cloves, crushed

juice of 4–5 lemons

250ml extra virgin olive oil

60g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander

4½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

4–6 whole bass or flounders (500–600g each) or 8 fillets

8 medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced into 6mm rounds, fried or roasted

2 plum tomatoes, diced

2 green or red peppers or chillies, deseeded and chopped very fine

1 litre chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, half of the lemon juice, 120ml oil, the parsley or coriander, cumin, salt and pepper; set aside.

Using a sharp kitchen knife, make three 3mm slits across the length of each fish or on the skin-side of half of the fillets. Divide the spice mixture evenly among the fish and spread it with your fingers into the slits and cavity of the whole fish or in the slits and on the flesh side of the scored fillets.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a large roasting tin and place the whole fish on top. If using the fillets, lay the plain halves skin-side down, then top each with a seasoned fillet, skin-side up. Scatter the tomatoes and peppers or chillies over the fish and pour the stock or water into one corner of the tin so that the vegetables don’t slide off the fish. Drizzle the remaining oil and lemon juice over the fish, then cover tightly with greaseproof paper and foil and bake until the fish is opaque, 15–20 minutes, depending whether you’re using a whole fish or fillets. Remove the foil and greaseproof paper and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until the fish flakes apart easily when pricked with a fork. Arrange the fish and potatoes on a serving dish and spoon the tin juices over both.

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