Marinated Sweet & Sour Fish
This recipe, from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem, is one that you can make on a Friday afternoon and then pull out at any point during the weekend because it’s best served at room temperature and even better after resting for a day or two in the fridge. Due to it’s origin and bright flavors, I think that it would be an interesting addition to the Rosh Hashanah table.
Marinated Sweet & Sour Fish is great served with a chunk of bread. I topped my slice with some garlic confit (cloves of garlic cooked low and slow in an oil bath, resulting in spreadable deliciousness) to up the ante. But it also pairs nicely with some simple couscous or mashed potatoes.
Regardless of when or how you serve this fish, I beg you to give it a try. The simple ingredients result in a truly unique flavor profile and the truth of the matter is that it really tastes best after resting in the fridge…what could be easier that preparing in advance? Enjoy!
Marinated Sweet & Sour Fish
Ingredients
- 3 Tbls olive oil
- 2 med onions, cut into 3/8" slices 3 cups
- 1 Tbls coriander seeds
- 2 peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), cut into 3/8" strips 3 cups
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 Tbls curry powder
- 3 tomatoes, chopped 2 cups
- 2 1/2 Tbls sugar
- 5 Tbls cider vinegar
- 1 lb cod, halibut, or other white fish fillets divided into 4 equal portions
- seasoned flour for dusting
- 2 lg eggs, beaten
- 1/3 c chopped cilantro garnish
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Heat 2 Tbls oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and coriander seeds and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the peppers and cook for 10 minutes more. Add the garlic, bay leaves, curry powder and tomatoes and cook for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar, vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and some black pepper and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 Tbls oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish with some salt, dip in flour, then in the egg and fry for about 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer the fish to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.
- Add the fish to the pan with the onions and peppers, pushing the vegetables aside so that the fish sits on the bottom of the pan. Add enough water just to come up the sides of the fish (about 1 cup).
- Place the pan in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish is cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature.
- The fish can be served at room temperature, but is actually better after a day or two in the fridge. Before serving, taste and add salt and pepper, if needed and garnish with cilantro.