Samak Bi Tahini

Beirut being very hot in the summers, the locals run to the mountains. Many have ancestral homes, others rent for the season. My father’s cousin Koko picked us up on a Sunday morning and took us to a fancy village called Broumana, Lebanon. It was such a beautiful day. We went to a seafood restaurant and Koko ordered Fish with tahini and French fries. I have made this many times. Each time, I go back to the memories of the restaurant, sitting in the courtyard, there were red flowers, beautiful fragrances of flowers, cooking and perfume.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Whole fish (Red snapper 1.5 – 2 LBS Preferred)
• 3 TB olive oil
• 2 TB fresh lemon juice

FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE:

• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup tahini
• 5 TB fresh lemon juice
• 6 -8 TB water or as needed

GARNISH:

• ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
• 3 TBs fresh chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Sprinkle salt over the fish and cut 3 diagonal slits on each side of the body.
3. In a small bowl, mix olive oil and fresh lemon juice, then rub the mixture over the fish. Place the fish in a baking pan.
4. Bake the fish, occasionally basting with pan juices, for about 25 minutes or until it is done.
5. Bring the cooked fish to a serving platter and let it cool.
6. In a blender, combine all sauce ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Add extra water if needed for desired consistency.
7. Discard the skin from the fish and spread the tahini sauce over it.
8. Decorate the dish with toasted pine nuts and fresh chopped parsley.