“IN IRAN, we stuff the whole lot,” said chef Nasim Alikhani. “Some stuffings are a day’s process, but this isn’t that.” In her very last Slow Food Fast recipe, the Brooklyn-based chef requires stuffing, roasting the entire branzino till its skin crisps and its smooth flesh slides off the bone.
The stuffing, a sauté of fresh parsley, cilantro, onions, and walnuts, also receives layers of flavor from dried mint, turmeric, lemon juice, and pomegranate molasses. The recipe requires nutty fenugreek and tart barberries; however, the result will be full of taste if you don’t have them available.
You can stuff the fish some hours before serving and put them inside the oven before serving. The dish requires a handful of herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. “This is quick and accurate for when you get very sparkling fish and need to do something first-class with it properly,” said Ms. Alikhani. “It’s usually very spectacular.”
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes SERVES: 4
2½ cups fresh parsley, plus greater to garnish
2½ cups sparkling cilantro, plus greater to garnish
Five tablespoons olive oil, plus more to garnish
One massive onion, finely chopped
One tablespoon turmeric
Two teaspoons fenugreek (optionally available)
Two tablespoons of dried mint
⅓ cup pomegranate molasses, plus extra for glazing
⅓ cup lemon juice, plus lemon wedges to garnish
1⅓ cup chopped walnuts
⅓ cup barberries (non-obligatory)
½ teaspoon purple chile flakes
Kosher salt
Four entire branzini (about 1 pound every), gutted, wiped clean, and scaled
Cooked rice or potatoes for serving
1. preheat oven to 425 stages. In a food processor, pulse parsley and cilantro until finely chopped.
2. Swirl two tablespoons of olive oil into a huge sauté pan over low warmth. Stir in onions and sauté until translucent, about three mins. Add turmeric, a couple of tablespoons of oil, and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute extra.
Stir in chopped herbs, fenugreek, dried mint, ⅓ cup pomegranate molasses, and lemon juice. Simmer until the sauce tightens, about 3 minutes. Stir in walnuts, barberries, and chile flakes, and retain cooking until the maximum liquid chefs are off, approximately 1 minute more. Season with salt to taste. Remove the pan from heat.
3. Season the outside and cavities of the fish with salt. Pack stuffing into each cavity. (Reserve extra stuffing for another use.) Brush the outdoor fish with the last olive oil and season once more with salt.
4. Roast the fish, brushing the skin with pomegranate molasses halfway through, until the pores and skin are crisp and the flesh is cooked for about 15 minutes. To serve, drizzle the fish with olive oil and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges. Serve with rice or potatoes.
