Sephardic baked fish
Serves 4
A Jewish recipe from Alan Davidson's (other) superb book, 'Mediterranean Seafood'
Ingredients
- 2 large or 4 small cleaned seabass, about 2kgs altogether
- 100ml/4 fl oz olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp pine nut kernels - lightly toasted
- Half a small hot red pepper
- Chopped flesh of 3 tomatoes
- 1 tsp tomato pureé, diluted in a little warm water
- Plenty of chopped parsley
- Juice of 2 lemons
- ¼ tsp turmeric
Method
- Fry the onion, garlic and chopped pepper lightly in the oil.
- Add tomatoes, pureé, parsley. Simmer for five minutes.
- Put the cleaned fish in an oiled baking dish, ideally not too big. Remove tails if necessary.
- Cover the fish with the onion mixture.
- Mix lemon juice with 280ml/10 fl oz water and mix in the turmeric then add to baking dish.
- Bake at 400F/200C/Gas 6 for about 35 minutes, basting three or four times.
- Sprinkle with pine kernels before serving.
