SAMAK BIL-TAHINI
LEBANON
My grandmother made the ultimate samak bil-tahini. She used whole fish and cooked the fish in the sauce long enough for it to absorb its flavor. But as much as I loved her recipe, I use fish fillets or steaks so as not to worry about picking out the bones. And I often use black cod, which is not only unorthodox, but also extravagant. Still, it works brilliantly with the sauce (a simpler, milder version than the sauce for Spicy Baked Fish in a Tahini, Herb, and Nut Sauce). If you find black cod too expensive, use sea bream fillets or any other white saltwater fish, although pike also works well here. And unlike my grandmother, I cook my fish separately so as not to overcook it, slipping the cooked fillets into the sauce at the very last minute. You could flake the fish into the sauce, which is what some Lebanese cooks do, in which case the dish is known as tajen, from the word tajine.
SERVES 4 TO 6
½ cup (125 ml) tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
Juice of 1½ lemons, or to taste
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound (450 g) whitefish fillets, cut into 4 or 6 pieces
3 medium onions (1 pound/450 g total), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt
Finely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1. Put the tahini in a medium bowl. Add the garlic, then slowly add the lemon juice, stirring all the time—at first you will notice the tahini becoming quite thick despite the fact you are adding liquid, but do not worry, it will thin out as you add more liquid. Gradually add ¾ cup (180 ml) water, still stirring, until you have a thin creamy sauce.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Slide the fish pieces into the pan, skin side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden. Turn the fish over and cook for another minute or so, until it is just done. Remove to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
3. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tahini sauce. Season with the cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Let bubble for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, until you see a little oil rising to the surface.
4. Take the sauce off the heat and slide the fish fillets into it. Gently shake the pan back and forth to coat the fish with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove to platter and serve warm or at room temperature garnished with the toasted pine nuts.