Turkish cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Karalahanalı Hamsi (Anchovies in Black Cabbage Leaves)

Trabzon specialty: anchovies wrapped in blanched black cabbage leaves, baked in the oven with cornmeal and butter.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700 g anchovies
• 12 black cabbage leaves
• 2 onions
• 4 tbsp cornmeal
• 80 g butter
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
• 1 lemon
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the heads, guts and bones from the anchovies; rinse the fillets, pat dry, salt, pepper and let sit for 10 min.
2. Trim the tough center rib from the black cabbage leaves and blanch them in batches for 2 min. in boiling salted water until pliable; shock in cold water and pat dry.
3. Finely dice the onions and sauté in 30 g butter for 6–8 min. until soft, chop the parsley and mix it with the pul biber and cornmeal into the onions.
4. Lay out each cabbage leaf flat, place 2–3 anchovy fillets and 1 tsp of the onion-cornmeal mixture on top and wrap the leaf into a tight parcel.
5. Place the parcels seam-side down tightly in a buttered dish, dot with the remaining butter and pour in 100 ml water.
6. Cover and bake in the oven preheated to 190 °C for 30 min., the last 8 min. uncovered, until the leaves brown slightly; serve with lemon wedges.