here in istanbul we are so fortunate to have fresh fish available almost all year round.
and going out to a fish restaurant for a nice glass of raki (sort of like greek ouzo); some delicious small meze dishes and a main course of fresh fish is a sunday tradition many families and friends enjoy tremendously. i have to admit it is one of my favorite things to do too. especially as spring brings warmer and longer days; having a long leisurely lunch- or even early dinner- raising a glass with friends and enjoying some good conversation is a pretty perfect way to spend a sunday afternoon!
as with many things, the coronavirus pandemic has caused us to need to shift our reality. meeting up with friends, going to restaurants, sharing a good meal- all of these have been put on hold for the time being. and not only are we not going out at all to eat, but our kitchen is working at full capacity three times a day!
about 10 days into our social distancing efforts i realized we all needed a bit of a break; from cooking and from eating too! and so, a new tradition was born 🙂 once a week, on sunday afternoons, we share a larger meal for a late lunch and then the kitchen is closed. fresh fruit, cereal, and sandwich fixing are always available for those who need a little something more but there is no more “cooking” that day.
this week we made an amazing steamed fish dish that everyone adored… it is too good and too easy not to share; as simple as it is to cook, it is equally tasty and fancy. it made for a special day even without having left the house!
ingredients-
- 6 fillets of fresh fish (this week we had a white grouper that is native to the aegean area)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves fresh garlic-minced
- a large handful of shallots- cut in half
- 3 green peppers- chopped
- 3 large tomatoes- chopped
- 1 cup water
- 3 bay leaves
- ample parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
instructions-
- rinse fillets and set aside
- in a large saucepan (with a lid) melt butter
- add garlic, shallots and peppers and saute until softened
- mix in tomatoes
- add water and bring mixture to a light boil
- place fish fillets in pan and reduce heat
- season with salt, pepper, bay leaves and parsley
- simmer with lid closed for 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through- this may change according to the thickness of the fillets
- serve immediately
we served our fish with some oven-baked new potatoes and a fresh green salad…
a certain slant of light 