Sundays with Marlena Spieler-Yemenite Poached Fish in Spicy Tomato Herb Sauce

The cod and basa...they are under there!
The cod was poached perfectly..light and flaky.
The basa (Asian catfish) was poached after the cod...less dense so goes in last.
On Monday we met in SF to honor Marlena Spieler. More on that later this week. She is the one with the platinum hair and red lips! I look like the family matriarch in this photo. Ha! My fellow co-bloggers look so cute! More on everyone later this week!

Okay..now to this weeks recipe from Jewish Cooking.

Ingredients: Serves 6 - 8

1 and 1/4 cups crushed canned tomatoes
2/3 cup fish stock (I made mine from dried bonito but you can purchase in a bottle)
1 large chopped onion
5-6 pearl onions (I used frozen)
1 chopped carrot (I used baby whole carrots)
4 TBS chopped parsley
4 TBS chopped cilantro
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 TBS chili paste (I prefer sambal olek)
one lg pinch of ground curry powder and ground ginger powder
1/4 tsp of both cumin and turmeric
2-3 cardamom pods
juice of 2 lemons...might need extra (ya never know)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
3 1/4 pounds of fresh firm white fish fillets (I used cod and basa but halibut alone would be great)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the crushed tomatoes in a heated pan and add the fish stock, onions, herbs, garlic, chili paste, spices, lemon juice, and oil and bring to a boil. Then, remove the pan from the heat and add the fish fillets. Return to the heat and allow to boil briefly. Reduce heat and simmer gently for a few more minutes. Spoon mixture over fish as it simmers. Don't overcook. Fish is done when it is flaky and white....about 5 minutes. I loved this aromatic dish so much and will make it over and over again. It was the best way I've ever cooked fish!

This is a traditional Jewish dish called Samak. You could serve it with flat bread or pita and with a condiment like Hilbeh...which is basically a fenugreek and tomato relish. Be sure to head on over to Eileen's blog, Just the Two of Us and over to Shankari's blog, Sacramento Spice to see what they have cooked up from Marlena's cookbook, Jewish Cooking.