Levantine cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Taratour Samak

Cold-poached whole fish coated entirely in a pale tahini-lemon sauce and topped with toasted pine nuts.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1 whole sea bass (1 kg)
• 150 g tahini
• 3 lemons
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp sumac
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Quarter the onion and bring to a boil with the bay leaves, the juice of half a lemon and 1 tbsp salt in 2 l water, then let simmer uncovered for 10 min.
2. Slide the sea bass into the now barely trembling stock and let it poach at 80 °C – the surface must not bubble – for 18–20 min.; then let it cool in the stock to hand-warm.
3. Carefully lift out the fish, remove skin and bones and arrange the fillets in large pieces on a flat platter; chill completely.
4. Mix tahini with the finely grated garlic, the juice of two lemons and salt, working in 100–150 ml ice-cold water drop by drop until a smooth, pale sauce the thickness of a cream sauce forms.
5. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 min., stirring, until golden brown and immediately tip onto a plate.
6. Coat the cold fish completely with the tahini sauce, top with pine nuts, chopped parsley, sumac and olive oil and serve with pepper and lemon wedges.