Samke Harra

La storia di questo piatto

Samke Harra è il Levante distillato in un piatto: la generosità del Mediterraneo orientale, dove Beirut e Tripoli si contendono l'anima del mare, e ogni famiglia custodisce la propria fiamma come un segreto sacro. È il piatto delle tavole condivise sul lungomare, del sale che l'aria porta ancora addosso.

Ingredienti

• 1 1 fish (1-1.2 kg) Whole fish (sea bass or gilt-head bream)
• 3 pieces Red bell peppers
• 1 piece Fresh red chili pepper
• 4 tablespoons Tahini
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 30 g Fresh coriander
• 20 g Fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 5 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Warm water
• 2 tablespoons Pomegranate seeds

Preparazione

1. Clean the whole fish: take a dull knife and scrape away the scales starting from the tail toward the head, moving the knife against the grain. You'll see tiny silvery flakes falling off—keep going until the skin feels smooth to the touch. Take a sharp knife and open the belly with one long cut from the head to the tail, then use your hands to remove the innards you find inside (they should come out easily). Rinse the fish thoroughly inside and out under cold running water: the interior must be perfectly clean, with no traces of blood or residue. Dry it completely with paper towels, rubbing well both inside and out: dry skin will cook up crispy and golden. Now make 3 diagonal cuts on each side of the belly: angle your knife at 45 degrees and score only the surface skin (don't cut down into the flesh underneath, or the fish will lose its juices). These cuts allow heat to penetrate better and help the skin cook evenly all over.
2. Season the fish: rub salt and pepper all over the skin using your fingers, distributing them evenly across the entire body. Put a pinch of salt and pepper inside the belly cavity as well. Take a baking tray and brush it lightly with oil using a pastry brush or a piece of paper towel, then place the fish on the prepared tray. Turn the oven on to 200°C and wait for it to reach temperature: you'll hear a beep when it's ready, or check the oven thermometer if it has one. Don't start cooking until the oven is completely heated, or the fish will cook unevenly.
3. Turn the heat to medium-high and place whole red peppers directly over the flame (or roast them in the oven at 200°C if you prefer). If using the flame, turn the peppers every 2-3 minutes with tongs: you'll see the skin blacken and char—that's exactly what you want, it means they're developing flavor. Once the entire skin is black and charred (about 10-12 minutes), put them immediately into a bowl and cover with a plate: the hot steam trapped inside will soften the skin and make it come away from the flesh underneath very easily.
4. Put the fish in the preheated oven at 200°C. To tell when it's done, look at the flesh: it should turn white and opaque (not transparent and shiny like when it started). The safest test: gently lift the flesh with a fork near the backbone—if it comes away easily and is no longer translucent, it's perfectly cooked. The time varies depending on size: small fish (500-700 g) take about 15 minutes, medium fish (1-1.2 kg) take about 18-20 minutes. When it's ready, the fish will flake slightly at the touch.
5. While the fish cooks, prepare the sauce. Take 2-3 garlic cloves and mince them finely with your knife until you have small, uniform pieces (not a powder, but not chunky either). Take a fresh chili pepper: if you don't like it very spicy, cut it in half and gently scrape out the seeds inside with your knife (the heat is concentrated in the seeds), then mince it finely. If you like heat, keep it whole. Take the roasted peppers (they should be cool by now): remove the black skin by rubbing them gently with your fingers under cold running water—the skin will come off easily, leaving behind the sweet, tender flesh. Put into a blender: the cleaned peppers, the minced garlic, the chili, 3 tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste—peanut butter works fine if you don't have tahini), the juice of half a lemon, 100 ml of warm water, a pinch of ground coriander, and a handful of fresh minced parsley.
6. Turn on the blender and blend for 2-3 minutes until the sauce becomes smooth, creamy, and lump-free. If you see it's too thick and the blender is struggling to turn it, add warm water one tablespoon at a time until it flows smoothly off a spoon. Now taste it with a clean spoon: the sauce should have a balance between acidity (lemon), creaminess (tahini), and spice (chili and coriander). If it's too salty or not flavorful enough, add salt and more drops of lemon until the taste is just right. Transfer the sauce to a bowl.
7. When the fish comes out of the oven (it should still be warm, not cold), pour the warm sauce directly over the flesh or serve it separately in a bowl. Garnish the plate: scatter red pomegranate seeds over it (they're sweet, crispy, and create a beautiful contrast of color and texture), a thin drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a few fresh parsley leaves, and some fresh coriander. Serve right away while the fish is still warm—that's when it tastes its very best.