Fish Koresh

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 2 medium size brown onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cardamom pods (seeds only), crushed
• 400 ml orange juice
• 350 ml chicken stock
• 400g snapper/flathead
• 1 carrot, jullienened
• 2 oranges, segmented
• ½ bunch mint, picked and chopped
• ½ bunch coriander, chopped
• ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• 1 lime
• Salt, pepper
• 80g pistachios, roasted and lightly crushed
• Finely sliced candied orange zest, in sugar syrup
• 40g flaked almonds, sauted in butter until golden brown
  
  

Method

Cook onions in oil and butter in a heavy based pan until soft. Add spices, cook for a minute. Add orange juice and stock, reduce by half and season with salt and pepper. Slice the snapper into 4, add to the pan and turn heat to a gentle simmer. Add half of the carrot and cover with a lid, allow to cook for 2 minutes, then using a slotted spoon gently remove the fish to a serving dish. Next, add half of the orange segments, the remaining carrot, stir in mint, coriander, orange blossom and a squeeze of fresh lime. Scatter in half of the pistachios and a little candied zest. To finish, pour everything over the fish, and scatter over the remaining pistachios, orange segments, candied zest, flaked almonds and some more herbs. Serve with grilled sourdough, rubbed with garlic and persian rice. Note: For the candied orange zest, peel and thinly slice the orange skin, blanch 3 times in water to remove the bitterness, then simmer gently in a equal part sugar and water syrup until it becomes candied.