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Sumac Baked Fish With Saffron Quinoa

By Najmieh Batmanglij

3.7

(6)

Photo of Sumac Baked Fish with Saffron Quinoa a Persian recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Quinoa is not from Iran, but South America, where it was first cultivated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago in the Andes. It can often be substituted for rice and I cook it in a very similar way. It's a wonderful addition to Persian cooking and pairs well with the tangy and earthy taste of the sumac here which contrasts beautifully with lime juice and garlic, and always reminds me of dishes from the Caspian.  

  

This recipe is an adaptation of one that appears in Joon: Persian Recipes Made Simple.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4–6 servings

Ingredients

Saffron Quinoa:

3 cups (540g) quinoa
4 cups (950ml) water
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground saffron
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Sumac rub:

2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ cup sumac powder

Fish:

4 fillets of salmon, striped bass, or catfish (each ½ in (1cm) thick; about 2 lb (900g) total weight)
2 tablespoons olive oil combined with 2 tablespoons lime juice

Green sauce topping:

¼ cup (55g) shelled walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup (85g) basil, fresh, roughly chopped
1 cup (85g) cilantro, fresh, roughly chopped
1 cup (85g) mint, fresh, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil

Preparation

  1. For the quinoa:

    Step 1

    Wash the quinoa by placing it in a fine-mesh colander and rinsing thoroughly.

    Step 2

    Place all the ingredients in a large pot, stir gently for 1 minute to dissolve the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, without stirring.

    Step 3

    Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and reserve until ready to serve.

  2. For the fish:

    Step 4

    In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sumac rub and set aside.

    Step 5

    Arrange the fish fillets, skin-side down on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush both sides with the olive oil and lime juice mixture. Sprinkle the sumac rub all over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap. Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to cook (15 minutes to 1 hour).

    Step 6

    Shortly before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 450˚F (230˚C). Uncover the sheet pan, place it in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is cooked through.

    Step 7

    Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the green sauce topping and set aside.

    Step 8

    Remove the fish from the oven and place 1 tablespoon of the topping on each fillet. Serve with quinoa.

Cover of the cookbook featuring a crispy wedge of tahdig in a bowl with a stew garnished with barberries and seeds.
From Joon: Persian Cooking Made Simple copyright © 2019 by Najmieh Batmanglij. Published with permission by Mage Publishers. Buy the full book from Amazon.
TagsPersianMiddle EasternQuinoaRice & GrainsSaffronHerbs & SpicesCardamomSumacTurmericSalmonFishSeafoodBassCatfishWalnutNutBasilCilantroMintMainDinnerDairy FreeGluten FreePassoverCookbooks

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