Ingredients

1 large white fish (3-5 pounds), scaled and cleaned (keep the head on)

For the Stuffing
1 large onion, finely grated or ground
1 ½ cups walnuts, ground
1 tablespoon sour paste* or 5-6 large dried sour plums, pitted and chopped, or 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

To Rub and Baste
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
fresh juice of ½ lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

VARIATION: You can substitute white fish with sea bass, red snapper, or red mullet. (Would you like to make this dish together? Join our Cooking Masterclasses to learn and taste the national cuisine of Azerbaijan!)

VARIATION: If the fish has a roe (in Azeri – kuru, in Russian – ikra), do not discard it when cleaning the fish. Add it raw to the walnut mixture, reducing the amount of walnuts accordingly. Stuffing with fish roe is very delicious. I have never found a fish with roe in Long Beach markets, but in Azerbaijan, you luck out finding a fish with roe quite often.

1. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Rub inside and out with salt and pepper. 

2. Prepare the filling. Place the onion on a fine sieve and press to remove the juices. In a mixing bowl, combine onion, walnuts, sour paste or dried sour plums, or pomegranate seeds, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

4. Using a spoon, fill the cavity of the fish with the walnut stuffing. Make sure you pack the mixture tightly inside.

5. Pin the cavity shut with wooden barbecue skewers or cocktail sticks. Or, if available, sew it up tightly with kitchen twine. Place the fish on a baking sheet and pour the lemon juice over it. If you sewed the cavity, place the fish on a baking sheet in an upright position, seam side down. It looks beautiful when you remove it from the oven and place it on a platter in that position. If you used skewers like me just lay the fish on one side. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the fish is browned and flakes easily with a fork.

6. Arrange the fish on a serving platter and discard the pins or twine. Garnish with lemon slices, pomegranate seeds and serve with rice pilaff or bread and pomegranate paste (Narsharab) on the side. When serving, slice the fish into pieces making sure each one has some filling inside.

Nush Olsun! Bon appetite!

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, whole
• 1 c walnuts
• 2 peaches or plums
• 1 onion (about 1 cup)
• salt and pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Serves:4

Prep:10 Min

Cook:1 Hr 30 Min

Method:Bake

Preparation

1. Wash your bird and remove any gizzards.

1. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor. You don't want a walnut flour, but you don't want large chunks. Remove to a bowl.

1. Rough chop the onion and peaches (or plums) and pulse in the food processor.

1. Add the walnuts and pulse a quick once or twice- just to combine. Stuff into the bird's cavity.

2. Sprinkle salt, pepper & olive oil on the exterior of the bird, and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until the bird is done.

3. Cut the bird into pieces and serve with the stuffing on the side and a green salad.

Nush olsun! Bon appetite!