by Anissa Helou
SERVES 4 TO 6
Good pinch of saffron threads
1 large (4½ pounds/2 kg) white-fleshed fish—cod, sea bass, or hamour (reef cod)—scaled, gutted, and cleaned, but head and tail left on
Sea salt
7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
½ cup (75 g) dried apricots, soaked for 1 hour in boiling water
½ cup (75 g) prunes, soaked for 1 hour in boiling water
½ cup (75 g) golden raisins, soaked for 1 hour in boiling water
½ cup (75 g) walnuts, finely chopped
1½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Finely ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Plain Iranian Rice, for serving
1. Put the saffron to steep in 2 tablespoons water.
2. Pat the fish dry inside and out with paper towels and rub the inside with a little salt. With a little butter, grease a baking dish large enough to hold the fish comfortably. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
3. Drain the dried fruit. Very finely chop the apricots and prunes. Combine all the fruit in a large mixing bowl with the walnuts and pomegranate molasses and season with a little salt and pepper, just enough to offset the sweetness of the fruit. Mix well.
4. Stuff the fish with the fruit/nut mixture. Flap the sides of the fish over the stuffing and place in the greased baking dish.
5. Melt the 7 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan and stir in the lemon juice and saffron water. Pour over the fish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, basting from time to time, until the fish just barely flakes—you don’t want to overcook the fish otherwise it will become rubbery. Let sit for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a serving platter. Pour the sauce all over. Serve hot with the rice.
Baked Sea Bass with Tomatoes and Olives
DAR’I M’SLALLA
MOROCCO
You can use either saltwater or freshwater fish for this recipe as long as you choose a fish with a firm white flesh. Let the fish come to room temperature before baking so that you can time it to cook perfectly. Also, use ripe but firm tomatoes to achieve both an optimal flavor and texture—tomatoes are the main accompaniment, so they need to be perfect. Serve with good bread.
SERVES 4
2 whole sea bass or other similar fish (about 1 pound 12 ounces/800 g each), scaled, gutted, and rinsed
Chermoula
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley
4 large firm-ripe vine tomatoes (1 pound 12 ounces/800 g total), cut into medium-thick slices
Sea salt
10½ ounces (300 g) green olives, pitted (don’t use already pitted, pit your own)
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place on a large platter. Rub it all over with the chermoula, inside and out. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
3. Spread the parsley over the bottom of an oven-to-table baking dish large enough to hold both fish. Lay the marinated fish in the dish and cover with the sliced tomatoes. Season with salt to taste and pour any chermoula still in the dish over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the fish is done to your liking—I like mine just done so that it stays very moist.
4. Blanch the pitted olives in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well and arrange them around the fish for the last 10 minutes of roasting. Take out of the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Moroccan Grey Mullet Stuffed with Swiss Chard
HÛT M’AMMAR BEL SILQ
MOROCCO
Moroccans who live by the sea tend to prefer fish to meat whereas those living inland don’t consume much fish, which makes sense given Moroccan cooks’ insistence on both seasonality and freshness of ingredients. In the old days, cooks baked their fish in ashes, often stuffing it beforehand with rice, couscous and dates, potatoes, or greens like in this recipe. Serve with good bread.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 grey mullets (about 14 ounces/400 g each) or 2 mullets (2 pounds/900 g each)
Chermoula
1 pound 12 ounces (800 g) Swiss chard, both leaves and stems, sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) strips
7 ounces (200 g) purple or Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place on a large platter. Then rub with the chermoula both inside and out. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, in the refrigerator.
2. Put the sliced Swiss chard and halved olives in a steamer basket and steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chard is just done. Mix well. Remove the steamer basket, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let the chard and olives cool. (There is no need to season the chard as the fish marinade will eventually flavor it.)
3. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
4. Cover the bottom of an oven-to-table baking dish large enough to hold all the fish with the parsley. Fill each fish with as much Swiss chard as it will take (see Note), not forgetting the head cavity, and lay the fish on the parsley. Pour any chermoula that is left in the dish over the fish and roast for 20 to 25 minutes for the 4 smaller fish, or 25 to 30 minutes for the 2 large fish. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
NOTE: If there is any Swiss chard left over, heat it gently with a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve it alongside the fish.
Spicy Baked Fish with Herbs and Nuts
SAMKEH HARRAH BIL-KUZBARAH
LEBANON
Samkeh harrah is a specialty from Tripoli in north Lebanon. There are two ways of preparing it: one with just fresh herbs, nuts, and tomatoes as here, and the other is tahini-based with added herbs and nuts (see Samkeh Harrah bil-Tahineh). Both versions are delightful, with this recipe having fresher flavors. In this recipe (which is my mother’s), I like to use individual fish instead of fillets. Serve with good bread and a green salad.
SERVES 4
4 whole sea bream or sea bass (about 14 ounces/400 g each), scaled, gutted, and rinsed
Sea salt
FOR THE HERB STUFFING
⅓ cup (50 g) pine nuts, ground medium fine
⅓ cup (50 g) walnuts, ground medium fine
8 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 bunches cilantro (14 ounces/400 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped
1 medium tomato (3½ ounces/100 g), seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking sheet
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and lightly rub with a little salt, inside and out.
2. To make the herb stuffing: Put the ground nuts in a large bowl. Add the garlic, cilantro, onion, and tomato. Season with the spices and salt to taste, then add the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a large baking sheet with a little olive oil.
4. Put as much stuffing as you can inside each fish, making sure you don’t have any stuffing spilling out. Lay the fish on the baking sheet. Wrap any leftover stuffing in foil and place next to the fish or on another baking sheet.
5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the fish is just done. Let cool and serve at room temperature.
Spicy Baked Fish in a Tahini, Herb, and Nut Sauce
SAMKEH HARRAH BIL-TAHINEH
LEBANON
At the Silver Shore restaurant in Tripoli, they prepare this fish using a large sea bass that feeds four, but I suggest making it with fish fillets, which are easier to eat with the sauce with no need to pick out any bones or discard the skin.
SERVES 4 TO 6
&nbs
p; ⅓ cup (50 g) pine nuts
⅔ cup (100 g) walnuts
1 cup (250 ml) tahini
8 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
Juice of 3 lemons, or to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying
2¼ pounds (1 kg) white fish fillets (4 to 6 pieces)
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ bunch cilantro (3½ ounces/100 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Spread the pine nuts and walnuts on separate nonstick baking sheets and toast in the hot oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl. Wait until the walnuts have cooled, then chop them coarsely.
3. Put the tahini in a large mixing bowl and add the garlic. Add the lemon juice and start mixing it in. At first you will notice the tahini thickening instead of thinning, but do not worry, it will eventually thin out as you add more liquid. Slowly add ¾ cup (180 ml) water, stirring all the time until you have a sauce the consistency of heavy cream. Set the tahini sauce aside.
4. Place a large skillet over medium heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot, slide the fish fillets into the pan, skin side down, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden and the fish just done. You don’t need to flip the fish as it will finish cooking in the tahini sauce. Transfer to a plate.
5. Wipe the pan clean. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until the onion is golden and the pepper completely softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the cilantro and stir until wilted. Add the ground walnuts, coriander, Aleppo pepper, cumin, and salt to taste. Add the tahini sauce and let it bubble gently for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until you see a little oil rise to the surface.
6. Slide the cooked fish into the sauce, skin side up, and gently shake the pan to coat the fish with the sauce. Let simmer for a couple of minutes, until the fish has finished cooking. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and serve hot or warm.
Bangladeshi Fish Head “Risotto”
BANGLADESH
Here is another favorite fish head dish, from Bangladesh this time. It starts out as a curry, that is until you add the rice to cook it in the sauce, at which point you can consider the dish as the Bangladeshi equivalent of risotto. It is quite different from the Indonesian version (see Indonesian Fish Head Curry) in that the sauce is made with tomatoes rather than with coconut cream. The fish head used here comes from rui or rohu, a kind of carp found in Southeast Asia. I doubt you will be able to source it in the West, so ask your fishmonger for sea bass or hake heads, or even plain carp heads if he has any. You could also try to buy whole carp from an Asian supermarket, where they keep fish in tanks, and use the heads for this recipe while reserving the bodies for fish soup. I have adapted this recipe from one in Shawkat Osman’s Bangladeshi Cuisine.
SERVES 4
2 rui or rohu fish heads
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Sea salt
Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
⅔ cup (160 ml) mustard oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
5 bay leaves
10 green cardamom pods, lightly smashed
2 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
1 large onion (7 ounces/200 g), grated on the fine side of a grater
12 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
10 medium firm-ripe tomatoes (2¼ pounds/1 kg total), peeled, seeded, and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon red chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 cup (200 g) kalijira or Thai fragrant rice, soaked for 30 minutes in lightly salted water
A few sprigs cilantro, leaves only, for garnish
1. Pat the fish heads dry with paper towels and lightly rub with the turmeric and a little salt.
2. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Pour ½ inch (1 cm) vegetable oil into a large deep skillet and heat over medium heat until hot—test with a piece of bread; if the oil immediately bubbles around it, then it is ready. Add the fish heads and fry on both sides for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove to the wire rack to drain off any excess oil.
3. Heat the mustard oil in a wok over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir for a few seconds, then add the bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves and let sizzle for a minute or so. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and stir with the spices until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and mix well.
4. Add the ground spices, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the oil rises to the sides, about 10 minutes. Add the fried fish heads and stir into the sauce to coat them well. Drain the rice and add to the wok. Add enough water to just cover the rice. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the wok and let simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the sauce and is tender. Remove from the heat. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel and replace over the wok. Let sit for a few minutes.
5. Transfer the fish heads and rice to a serving platter, discarding both bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.
Indonesian Fish Head Curry
GULAI KEPALA IKAN
INDONESIA
You find fish head curry throughout Southeast Asia. I tasted the following version in Medan in Indonesia, at a restaurant specializing in fish head curry where I was taken by the wonderful William Wongso, Indonesia’s foremost celebrity chef, and his equally wonderful friend Indra Halim, who owns a mini food and coffee empire in Medan. The fish head was big and fleshy with lots of meat on it and this is what you need to ask your fishmonger for—the biggest and meatiest fish head he has available. Most fish heads go into the recycling bin in Europe and America so it shouldn’t be difficult sourcing one from a good fishmonger. Serve this with plain rice or Indonesian Yellow Rice.
SERVES 4
1 large sea bass or other whitefish head (about 1 pound 5 ounces/600 g)
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt
FOR THE SPICE PASTE
10 small shallots (7 ounces/200 g total), peeled
5 cloves garlic, peeled
5 fresh red chilies
1 medium tomato (3½ ounces/100 g)
1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh turmeric, peeled
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon raw cane sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
FOR THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 bilimbi (see Glossary) or star fruit, cut crosswise into slices ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
1 teaspoon seedless tamarind paste
3 bay leaves
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, smashed
2 inches (5 cm) fresh galangal, peeled and minced to a fine paste
2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
2 cups (500 ml) coconut cream
1 firm-ripe medium tomato (about 3½ ounces/100 g), finely diced
3½ ounces (100 g) long beans, stringed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths
1. Pat the fish head dry with paper towels, then rub with the lime juice and a little salt. Let sit for 1 hour.
2. To make the spice paste: If you have a mortar and pestle, grind the ingredients for the spice paste in the mortar together. Otherwise use your food processor to make the paste.
3. To make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple
of minutes. Add the bilimbi, tamarind paste, bay leaves, lemongrass, galangal, and ginger and cook, still stirring, for a minute or so. Add 2 cups (500 ml) water, the coconut cream, and the fish head. Let bubble gently until the sauce has reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
4. Add the tomato and long beans and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the beans are done. Serve hot.
Indonesian Crab Curry
KETAM MASAK NANAS
INDONESIA
There is a debate about whether Muslims are allowed to eat seafood. According to the Hanafī school of jurisprudence, only samak (which means “fish” in Arabic) is allowed, but other Muslim jurists do not see crabs or shrimp as haram (forbidden), and given how plentiful they are in the Arabian Gulf and in other parts of the Muslim world, those who think they are haram must be in the minority. Serve this with plain rice or Indonesian Yellow Rice and Indonesian shrimp crackers.
SERVES 4
FOR THE COCONUT PASTE
½ cup (100 g) grated fresh coconut
10 small shallots (7 ounces/200 g total), peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
½ inch (1 cm) fresh ginger, peeled
FOR THE CURRY
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 stalk lemongrass, smashed
2 medium crabs (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg), boiled and chopped in half
2 cups (500 ml) coconut cream
½ medium slightly underripe pineapple, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut across into 8 wedges
Sea salt
1. To make the coconut paste: Toast the grated coconut in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the coconut is golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and let cool before adding the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Process until you have a fine paste.