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Turkish Sea Bass with Hazelnut Garlic Sauce

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TasunkaWitko View Drop Down
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    Posted: 17 January 2017 at 14:29
Brook (HistoricFoodie) shared this recipe with me a part of his research on Ottoman Cuisine:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/ottoman-cuisinean-introduction_topic4606.html

This really was good, and I learned quite a bit about Ottoman and Turkish flavor profiles by trying it. I would heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to try a good fish dish...or someone who wants to dive into the world of Ottoman cuisine.

Quote Turkish Sea Bass with Hazelnut Garlic Sauce

5 sea bass filets, skinless (I substituted cod)
Water
1 teaspoon salt                                          
1 recipe hazelnut garlic sauce (below)
Chopped parsley

Poach fish in salted water for 15 minutes and align them on a serving plate.

Serve fish with the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley      


Hazlenut Garlic Sauce

2 oz hazelnuts
2 garlic cloves
Crumbs from 2 slices bread (1 cup)
1 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup water                                      
2 tablespoons vinegar
Juice of one lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
Minced parsley for garnish

Grind hazelnuts, garlic, bread, and salt in a mortar. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add water, vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil and mix well.

5 servings


For the benefit of those who are reading this, I will post some notes that I took on this dish, as well as Brook's replies:

Originally posted by I I wrote:

....Also, we had the Turkish Sea Bass with Hazelnut Garlic Sauce (using cod as a substitute) for supper. The dish looked nice - restaurant quality - and tasted great.

Two small execution problems:

1. We used just a bit too much salt on the cod (I actually liked it that way, but someone else eating it would probably have pointed it out).

2. The sauce seemed a lot thicker than I expected it to be, almost like cookie dough in texture. I am guessing not enough liquid or too many hazelnuts.

Also, The Beautiful Mrs. Tas wasn't fond of the hazelnut flavor, saying that the nuts tasted stale to her, but she very much liked the dish otherwise. Maybe next time, we'll try almonds (which should still adhere to the Ottoman theme) or walnuts - maybe even peanuts, although that will take it out of Istanbul. But now that I think about it, cod probably does, as well.

Having said that, I really liked all of the flavours that were in there, which went wonderfully together. Great-tasting, and healthy, to boot. It was not only easy, but it also looked like a high-dollar dining experience. Looking forward to having it again.


And Brook's reply:

Originally posted by Brook Brook wrote:

My bad! I’d also thought the sauce was too thick. Should have mentioned that, but it slipped my mind. Thinning it down, next time, would be a good idea.

It’s always a good idea, with hazelnuts, to pan-toast them before using, in order to reawaken the oils, and intensify their natural flavor. They tend to sit on store shelves longer than is good for them. I don’t know if “stale” is exactly the right word. But “dry” and “dusty” are certainly not remiss. Otherwise, I agree that almonds would be a good substitute. So would Brazil nuts, I think---although they weren’t known to the Ottomans. Peanuts, to my mind, are a bit of a stretch. While the finished dish might be good, it would be too far from the Ottoman mode, IMO.

So far as cod; why not? True, it’s not exactly Ottoman in nature. What fish and seafood they ate came mostly from the Black Sea. But sea bass takes a second mortgage, nowadays. And, flavorwise, doesn’t contribute enough to a dish like this to make up for the high cost. For something like Eric Ripart’s signature Black Bass with Port, I’m willing to bite the economic bullet. But not for this dish, in which the sauce is actually the key element. Mahi Mahi goes on and off sale around here. That might be a nice alternative as well.


In all, this was seriously good, and deserves a shot. With Lent coming up, it might be a good time to try it!
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TasunkaWitko View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 November 2017 at 11:30
We made this again last night, and enjoyed it very much.

One again, we used cod in place of the sea bass; this time, we substituted almonds for the hazelnuts. It turned out great, just like last time, and I really enjoyed the sauce.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Margi Cintrano Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 November 2017 at 02:04

This has a very Catalan food profile ..   Tarragona is one of the world´ s largest growers of Hazelnuts ..  
And Gerona and  Barcelona were  Greek occupied before the Romans ..  

So, being coastal - any fish along the Mediterranean would fit this dish ..  

Absolutely amazingly wonderful ..

I had prepared this  when Brook first posted it ..

It was sublimely exquisite ..  

 
Cod is the most ancient ( Vikings and the Basques ) & 1432 in Venice, Italy of all White fishes for the Lent time ..

And is a staple in Spain and Italy.  

Ma Hi Ma Hi  would be lovely for this dish too ..  Or, sea bass or even Hake .. (Merluza ) ..  




Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 November 2017 at 09:30
...or haddock, or flounder, or speckled trout, or........
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thanket
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Margi Cintrano Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 November 2017 at 10:51


Brook,

I am sure however, these fish varieties are a rarity here ..

I would go with the sea bass or the cod as they are part of the daily catch in season now ..  Also Breca would be lovely too ..

Breca =   The  Bream Family (  Sparidae - Pagellus  Erythriuus )  ..  Very delicate and in season now. 
It is called Pandora in  English ..   Pegeot Rouge in  French ..   






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 February 2018 at 11:44
We made this again on Friday, 23 February; the fish used was cod, and instead of hazelnuts, we used pecans.

This was an excellent preparation, and I really enjoyed it with the pecans, even better than the original. We keep forgetting to thin the sauce down a bit, which it does need in order to be an actual sauce; having said that, it's pretty good the way it is, sort of a crumbly topping.

In any case, the base recipe is very good, no matter what the minor variation.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 February 2018 at 02:26
Occurs to me, Ron, that the choice of nuts really makes this a global dish.

For pecans think walnuts, and you've got a Georgian slant. Go with almonds, and there's a decidedly Iberian point of view. And so forth.
But we hae meat and we can eat
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Margi Cintrano Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 February 2018 at 02:48
Historic  Foodie,  And  Ron,  

Spain is a large producer of almonds and hazelnuts ..

Greece and  Turkey, are large producers of pistachios ..

California is a large producer of walnuts as is Italy ..  

Texas & Louisiana  amongst other western states ( and Oregon ) produce ecological pecans ..  

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 February 2018 at 05:09
California is also a major producer of pistachios, Margi. Perhaps now the largest producer?

Georgia (the state) has outstripped Texas in pecan production.

Ahhhhhh....the ever-shifting world of agriculture.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 February 2018 at 08:24
>>>Occurs to me, Ron, that the choice of nuts really makes this a global dish.<<<

I think you are right, Brook - the ingredients are, for the most part, very versatile; the nuts can put just the right regional touch on it...maybe the choice of acid, as well.

As you and Margi point out - so many choices!
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