Sea bass with saffron and lemon

Votes: 2

Time: 50 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4 - 6

During Nowruz (the Persian New Year), Iranians love to eat fish with sabzi polo (pilaf). This long-standing tradition is also celebrated by Iranians living abroad. White fish is typically prepared for the holiday. Sea bass or sea bass are excellent choices. The fish is flavored with saffron and lemon, and its cavity is filled with a filling of onions, walnuts, herbs, and pomegranate molasses. It is baked in the oven and served with sabzi polo (Iranian herb pilaf).

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed in a mortar and pestle
3 ice cubes
2 whole sea bass weighing 700g each, wash, gut and dry
4 tbsp. l. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice of 2 lemons (about 0.5 cup)
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
0.5 cup chopped walnuts
3 tbsp. l. pomegranate molasses
0.5 tsp turmeric
Sabzi Polo (Iranian rice with greens), to serve
Additional device: 6 toothpicks

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: fish fillet, lemon juice, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, saffron, turmeric

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Place saffron and ice in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature until the ice melts. This will become saffron water.

Using a sharp knife, make 5-6 slits in each fish, 2.5 cm apart, cutting through the skin and flesh on one side. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, another 1 minute.
Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, parsley, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, turmeric, 1 tablespoon saffron water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set the onion filling aside.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining lemon juice, and the remaining saffron water. Brush the inside of the fish with this saffron-lemon mixture, then fill the cavities with the onion filling. Seal the cavities with 3 toothpicks along each open edge. Brush the surface of the fish with the saffron-lemon mixture, then transfer the fish to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the fish for 10 minutes. Brush the surface of the fish with the saffron mixture and continue baking until the flesh easily separates from the bone, another 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and switch to broil mode.
Brush the surface of the fish with the saffron-lemon mixture and grill until the skin is golden and slightly crisp, 3-5 minutes; watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove the toothpicks and serve with the fish sabzi polo.

Note

Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the fish. Sea bass is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C); the flesh is white and flakes easily with a fork. White fish tends to have a lot of bones, so be careful when eating it.