Samkeh Harra (Spicy Fish)

Samkeh Harra or spicy fish is a layered dish has many variations throughout the Levant region, this is ours. This dish has a layer of diluted tahini sauce so as not to overpower the dish, enhanced by delicious cilantro and almond paste that gives it a kick from the Aleppo pepper and Cayenne. I serve this dish with cooked coarse Bulgur and some sauteed vegetables.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

Tahini sauce:
¾ cup tahini
½ cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
¾ tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Paste:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, fine dice
1 Serrano pepper, sliced
1 cayenne pepper, sliced
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground coriander
1½ tsp Aleppo pepper
¾ cup slivered almonds
2½ cups fresh cilantro, firmly packed
1/3 cup lemon juice
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Bulgur:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cinnamon sticks
3 dried lemons
2 bay leaves
2 cups coarse Bulgur
2 tsp salt
¾ tsp black pepper
2 tsp ground coriander
3 cups boiling water (or stock)

Whole Fish:
1 halibut fillet, 750 g
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp Aleppo pepper
Cherry tomatoes on vine
6 zucchinis, cut in half
3 small bell peppers
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 Serrano, sliced in half
Pinch of salt and pepper

Fish Fillet:
1 halibut fillet, 750 g, cut into 3-inch squares
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp Aleppo pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon

Directions:

Making Tahini and Cilantro paste

1- In a bowl, add the tahini and water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Add the garlic and lemon juice and whisk until silky smooth.

2- In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Cook the onions until translucent and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the cayenne and serrano, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, ground coriander and Aleppo peppers. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3- Add the mixture to a food processor, add the almonds (or walnuts) and blitz until fine. Add fresh cilantro, lemon juice, salt, pepper, ground coriander and Aleppo peppers and pulse until well combined. With the motor running, gradually add olive oil and blitz until a paste forms. Set aside.

Cooking the Bulgur

4- Place the burghul in a fine-mesh sieve and quickly rinse under cold running water. Drain.

5- In a pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, and dried lime, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the rinsed burghul and the salt, pepper and coriander. Cook, stirring frequently, until the burghul is coated with oil and sizzling, 4 to 5 minutes.

6- Pour in the boiling stock (or water) and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil.

7- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with the lid, and cook the mixture for 18 minutes, until the burghul is tender and the liquid has completely evaporated. Fluff the burghul with a spoon, and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Cooking the fish

8- Preheat the oven to 375F. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, coriander, and Aleppo pepper on both sides. Cover the fish with a thick layer of the paste. Arrange some cherry tomatoes on the vine and some sliced zucchini in the baking tray, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.

9- To cook the fish in individual portions, slice the fish into 3-inch squares, pat dry and season with salt, pepper, ground coriander and Aleppo pepper. Pan fry the fish fillets in olive oil skin side down first, then flip and cooking, a total of 6 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice in the pan just before finishing the cooking. Slice a lemon in half, place face down and let char, about 3 minutes.

10- To serve, add a dollop of tahini to the bottom of the dish, then a dollop of the cilantro paste. Arrange two fish fillet on top, a side of Bulgur and some vegetables. Enjoy!