Lebanese Style Whole Grilled Fish

[buttercup]

I am holding a BBQ for about 30-40 people and want to do a whole grilled fish. The apps will be Lebanese and I want to carry the theme over to the fish. I am thinking of using salmon. For some reason, I am just not coming up with anything good and would love any feedback on what to do. I considered something with sumac, but I think that it may overpower the fish. If I am paying for high quailty fish, I do not want to render the expense useless.

Any ideas on what to use in cooking the fish and/or serving a condiment. Service will be buffet style, maybe if I do not do too much with the fish could there be a presentation style that references the Lebanese theme?

Guess this post hints enough that I am not even close to the zone on tackling this.

If anyone wants to pipe in with menu ideas, please do. I had a Lebanese chef was was between jobs that I was going to hire for the party, but he is on to his own restaurant now so I am kind of free wheeling this.

Thanks! Just hope my brain comes back from vacation soon.

Stephanie

[kristin_71]

You can just do the fish in a little lemon and olive oil. When it is done though you should drizzle Tahini on it. You make it sort of like humous but a runny consistancy. It is wonderful.

[Smithy]

What about samke harra, spicy grilled fish? FoodMan was good enough to start a thread on this a while ago. It was pretty darned tasty. It calls for a milder fish than salmon.

[Nicolai]

Salmon is fairly new to the Lebanese cuisine and does not have a set recipe as such.

The best you can do is treat Salmon like any white fish and the suggestions to use a Tahineh based sauce or a Spicy (Samkeh Harrah) sauce are both valid.

However, having a cold Salmon offereing is equally acceptable and Salmon lends itself perfectly for a Poached Salmon dish or a Saumon en Croute.

If your Salmon is super fresh, then just serve it raw a la Sashimi with an EVOO and pomegrenate molasses dip which will give it the Lebanese flavour.

PS. The grilled Salmon can be served with a side sauce based on Tahineh.

However if the sauce is cold then the sauce is a Tarator sauce (Tahimeh/Parsley/EVOO/Lemon/garlic/S&P)and if the Tahineh is warm then it is a Samkeh Traboulsieh (Tahineh/Lemon/EVOO/PineKernels/Garlic/S&P).

Have fun.

[Swisskaese]

You could also sprinkle it with zaatar.

I have tried salmon with tehina and it didn't work very well. I think it works much better with white fish like cod, sea bass, trout or St. Peters fish.

The pomegranate sauce is also a good one. I have made a pomegranate sauce with salmon and it is excellent compliment to the salmon.

If you could find cod or some other white fish you could serve the fish with a tehina and pomegranate sauce. It is not Lebananese, it is Georgian.

Edited August 31, 2006 by Swisskaese (log)

[buttercup]

Thanks everyone. I am going to call my fish people and see if there is a large white fish from the sea (as suggested in the Samkeh thread) that they recommend. The Samkeh sounds really good. I was a bit uncertain about the tahini, but you guys really seem to like it. Will try to find a restaurant with it around my place to take a taste test. I can always serve it on the side, if people seem to be squimish about tahini on fish.

Salmon just seemed easier to grill and I want a big fish for presentation and to reduce labor. I saw several things on the internet, like wraping in oil soaked cheese cloth and even something about chicken wire to keep the fish looking a bit pretty. With some creative treatment, maybe a white fish can be okay on the grill.

As to sprinkling with Zatar- does it come without the seeds? I have it with seeds.

Will update with whatever it is I come up with.

[Swisskaese]

Thanks everyone.  I am going to call my fish people and see if there is a large white fish from the sea (as suggested in the Samkeh thread) that they recommend.  The Samkeh sounds really good.  I was a bit uncertain about the tahini, but you guys really seem to like it.  Will try to find a restaurant with it around my place to take a taste test.  I can always serve it on the side, if people seem to be squimish about tahini on fish.   

Salmon just seemed easier to grill and I want a big fish for presentation and to reduce labor.  I saw several things on the internet, like wraping in oil soaked cheese cloth and even something about chicken wire to keep the fish looking a bit pretty.  With some creative treatment, maybe a white fish can be okay on the grill. 

As to sprinkling with Zatar- does it come without the seeds?  I have it with seeds.

Will update with whatever it is I come up with.

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You might be able to find plain dried zaatar in a Middle Eastern shop. The zaatar you have has sesame seeds in it and it is very good with the fish or you could mix some in the tehina.

[FoodMan]

I add my vote to use some Tahini sauce as well. The one from the Samkhe Harra thread with wlanuts and chilies is awsome. Definitly serve it on the side for each person to top his or her fish piece. Also stuffing the whole fish with some lemon slices, oregano and some Thyme is not a bad idea.

Now, I've never tried this, but I would imagine brushing the fish during the last 5 minutes or so of grilling with pomegranate molasses would be very good and will give the rich salmon a very nice tang and glaze. The molasses will also be good drizzled on top of the plated fish if your guests wish to do so.

Do let us know how this turns out!! Pictures are welcome of course .

[buttercup]

I add my vote to use some Tahini sauce as well. The one from the Samkhe Harra thread with wlanuts and chilies is awsome. Definitly serve it on the side for each person to top his or her fish piece. Also stuffing the whole fish with some lemon slices, oregano and some Thyme is not a bad idea.

Now, I've never tried this, but I would imagine brushing the fish during the last 5 minutes or so of grilling with pomegranate molasses would be very good and will give the rich salmon a very nice tang and glaze. The molasses will also be good drizzled on top of the plated fish if your guests wish to do so.

Do let us know how this turns out!! Pictures are welcome of course .

←

I will try to upload a pict of the fish. I went with a red snapper- white fish seemed more traditional. A chef came to help grill. He brought some caul fat to wrap the fish to keep moisture. Next time I will use two 10 pound fish. It is easier to cook, the fish is younger and the flavor is a bit more predictable.

Stuffed the fish with lemon, cilantro, garlic, onion, parsley. OO all over.

Did a simple Samkhe Harra sauce served on the side. Tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, S&P, paprika, chili pepper.

Of all things and effort, the Jujeh Kaboob went over the best. Have to have a meeting with the person who helped me and get his technique down. Will post it because it is so good. Just do not loose your mind on the amount of saffron involved.

I will definitely try to do the salmon with pomegranate sauce in the near future. Test it and then feature it at Norooz!

Thanks everyone for your direction and inspiration. Though I did not use many of the fantastic ideas you all had for this BBQ, I will keep them on hand for future dinner parties.