Lebanese fish dish uses tahini, cayenne

posted on: Jun 17, 2015

According to author Maureen Abood, a recipe that marries tahini, cayenne and fish appears in most Lebanese cookbooks. But it’s a relatively new flavor combination to me — and one I’ll be repeating often.

Served with a side of freshly cooked spring peas or fava beans, a 4-ounce portion of beautifully fresh red snapper will satisfy. But if you keep things simple and spare, or start with a soup and have only the fish and its sauce, allow for two sauced filets per person.

Pan-Seared Snapper With Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

4 (4-ounce) skin-on red snapper filets, preferably from the Gulf of Mexico, thawed if frozen, pin bones removed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Few grinds black pepper

Pinch ground cayenne pepper

1/4 cup pine nuts

Leaves from 4 stems flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

For the sauce:

1 small clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/3 cup tahini, or more as needed

1 lemon

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the fish: Season the fish on both sides with the salt and the black and cayenne peppers. Let it sit while you prep other ingredients.

Toast the pine nuts in a large skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan to avoid scorching, until they are fragrant and golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Finely chop the parsley.

For the sauce: Smash the garlic and place it in a mini food processor, along with the salt, yogurt and tahini. Puree until well incorporated. Cut the lemon in half; squeeze in the juice and pulse just until blended. Taste, and add tahini and/or salt, as needed. The yield is 1 generous cup.

Return the skillet to the stove top; increase the heat to medium-high. Add the butter and oil; once the butter is foamy, lay in the filets, skin side down. Cook for about 3 minutes, until crisped on the bottom; then use two thin spatulas to carefully flip them over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, so the flesh is opaque and just flaky at the center.

Transfer to a platter. Drizzle with the sauce, then sprinkle with the pine nuts and parsley. Serve right away.

Makes 2 to 4 servings depending on sides.

Recipe adapted from Rose Water & Orange Blossoms: Fresh & Classic Recipes From My Lebanese Kitchen by Maureen Abood (Running Press, 2015)

Source: www.nwaonline.com