Levantine cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Trilya Mtabbale

Fried red mullet, cured cold in lemon, olive oil and sumac and served as a mezze with onions.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 800 g red mullet
• 3 lemons
• 2 tbsp sumac
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red onions
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Scale, gut, rinse and pat the red mullet very dry; salt both sides and let sit for 10 min.
2. Dust the fish thinly in flour, tap off the excess and fry in 4 tbsp hot olive oil for 3 min. per side until the skin is crisp and browned; drain on paper towel.
3. For the marinade, stir together the juice of two lemons with the finely grated garlic, 1 tbsp sumac, the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Lay the still-warm fish in a shallow dish, pour the marinade over and let cure covered in the fridge for at least 2 hrs.
5. Slice the red onions paper-thin, knead with 1/2 tsp salt, rinse under cold water and squeeze out so they turn mild.
6. Arrange the fish on a platter, sprinkle with the onion rings, chopped parsley and the remaining sumac, and serve well chilled with wedges of the third lemon.