USKUMRU BALIGI TARATORU
TURKEY
Here, a Turkish-style tarator (which is made with nuts) is spooned over poached mackerel. The same sauce is also served with fried mussels or anchovies (see Fried Mussel Brochettes). Serve with good bread.
SERVES 4
2 medium mackerel (about 2¼ pounds/1 kg in total)
Sea salt
1 bay leaf
2 lemon wedges
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pul biber
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels before rubbing them with salt inside and out. Put them in a fish poacher. Add the bay leaf and lemon wedges and add water to barely cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat off as soon as the water has come to a boil. Let the fish sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Then, gently lift them out of the water. Discard the heads and skin and if you can manage it, fillet the fish in 4 whole pieces. If not, don’t worry. Just take off the bone and transfer to a serving dish. Make sure you don’t leave bones in the fish.
2. Spread the tarator over the fish. Sprinkle the chopped parsley all over, then the pul biber. Serve warm or at room temperature. Or, if you want to serve it later, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Simply remember to take it out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving.
TURKISH TARATOR
MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS (375 ML)
Tarator is a sauce or a dip usually served with fish or seafood, but I sometimes like to serve it as a dip with crudités. It differs substantially depending on whether you have it in Lebanon and Syria, where it is made with tahini, or in Turkey where it is made with nuts. There is actually a Lebanese tarator that is made with pine nuts and served with fish, but it is rare to find it nowadays, I guess because pine nuts have become so expensive.
If you have the patience and energy, make this dip by pounding the ingredients in a large mortar with a pestle. The texture will be finer.
1½ cups (225 g) hazelnuts or walnuts, soaked for 1 hour in lots of boiling water
3 to 4 slices (use more for a thicker tarator) soft white bread, crusts discarded
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
⅔ cup (160 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1½ lemons, or to taste
Sea salt
Drain the nuts and put in a food processor together with the bread, garlic, and 1 teaspoon water. Blend until smooth, then start drizzling in the olive oil while still processing. When the oil is completely absorbed, add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a medium bowl and serve with the Fried Mussel Brochettes or spoon over the Mackerel Tarator. You can also keep it in the refrigerator, stored in a hermetically sealed container, for a couple of days. You may need to add a little oil or liquid before serving in case it becomes too thick.