In The New Persian Kitchen, author and chef Louisa Shafia takes us on a journey to the cuisine of her family homeland. Using a combination of original and inventive recipes, traditional and Western ingredients, Lousia offers us her bright, personal perspective on Persian — or Iranian — cuisine. Persian culture is thousands of years old and, despite a history with many dramatic changes in dynasty and state religions, the underlying culinary traditions have evolved smoothly, always exploiting the very distinctive Persian flavors. If you love pomegranates and turmeric, if citrus is your passion, then the recipes in The New Persian Kitchen offer you a bevy of lovely meals.
Is there anything more impressive than a whole roasted fish? I always find this presentation stunning. I’m reluctant to make that first cut of a magnificent fish, but someone else always does and then I get that first smell and I’m ready to consume.
Life can be a bit deceptive. Just because they have oranges in Persia does not mean they are the same thing as what you find here in American in your local supermarket. To achieve the sour flavor of Persian oranges used in this recipe, Louisa here combines American lemons, oranges, and limes. Those juices simply combined into a complexity of flavors that ultimately is poured over the roasted fish.
And the roasting could not be easier. The fish is butterflied, spread with oil and garlic, and then laden with orange slices. You bake, or you could grill, and adorn with the citrus sauce.
Stunning and simple, this is the kind of dramatic dish that you can enjoy on a summer night when you want a great meal with modest effort.
Louisa reminds us to eat those orange slices baked on top of the fish.
Whole Roasted Fish with Oranges and Saffron
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon grated Meyer lemon zest
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 (2-pound) red snapper, cod, haddock, or sea bass, cleaned and butterflied
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 small oranges, for slicing
- ½ teaspoon saffron, ground and steeped in 1 tablespoon hot water
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a baking sheet with grapeseed oil.
In a bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice with the orange juice and lime juice.
Rub the fish inside and out with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil. Spread the garlic on the inside of the fish. Slice the oranges on a mandoline as thinly as possible, less than '/s inch thick. Open the fish and lay a few orange slices inside (this is a good place for imperfect slices), then press the fish closed. With a sharp knife, make several shallow slits in the top of the fish, without completely slicing through. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the citrus juice over the fish, and cover it from head to tail with the rest of the orange slices. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil on top, and season with salt.
Bake for about 35 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Heat the citrus juice in a small skillet over medium-high heat until bubbling and reduce by half. Turn off the heat and whisk in the saffron and extra-virgin olive oil. Serve the fish warm, topped with the citrus sauce.