Tarator Sauce Recipes

BAKED SEA BASS WITH LEMON & HERBS (WITH TARATOR SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 230C/gas 8/fan210C. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, inside and out. Rub the skin with oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay three-quarters of the lemon slices on a heavy baking sheet and place the fish on top (see tip). Stuff the belly with the remaining lemon, the garlic and plenty of herbs, then season.
• Bake the fish for 30 minutes or until the flesh is opaque at its thickest part - slide a knife into the backbone area to heck.
• To serve, first gently peel the skin back, then lift off a chunk of the back fillet and a chunk of the belly to make one serving: each side should yield 2 portions. Use any lemon slices that are nicely brown, rather than jet-black, as a garnish.FOR THE TARATOR SAUCE
• Put the nuts in a food processor and whizz to a fine powder.Wet the bread, then squeeze out all the moisture. Crumble it into the nuts, add the garlic and whizz to combine thoroughly.
• Add the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper. Start pouring the olive oil in through the feeder tube, in a steady, fine trickle. Once the oil is incorporated, the sauce will be very smooth but rather solid, so add enough water (or stock) to let the sauce down to a thick, creamy consistency.
• Finally, taste the sauce, adjust the seasoning and add a little more lemon juice if necessary.

CRISPY RICE CAKES WITH TARATOR SAUCE

Steps:

• Tarator Sauce:
• Blend Almond Aioli, lemon juice, and garlic in a blender to combine; season with salt and pepper.
• Rice Cakes:
• Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, stirring often to separate grains and prevent sticking, 6 minutes. Drain well and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Transfer cooled rice to a medium bowl.
• Whisk egg, egg yolk, 1/2 cup tarator sauce, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a small bowl to combine and add to rice. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine; set aside.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium. Just as butter starts to brown, drop four 1/4-cupfuls of rice mixture into skillet and gently press down with a spatula to make 1/2"-thick cakes. Cook cakes until edges and bottoms are golden brown and crisp, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack (they're only cooked on one side). Wipe out skillet and repeat process with remaining vegetable oil, butter, and rice mixture to make 4 more cakes.
• Toss herbs with olive oil and remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice in a clean small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide 1/2 cup tarator sauce among plates and top each with 2 cakes. Squeeze lemon wedges over and season with more salt. Top with herbs.

TARATOR SAUCE

Steps:

• Purée all ingredients with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.

CAULIFLOWER WITH TARATOR SAUCE

Steps:

• Make tarator sauce:
• Soak bread in a bowl of water 30 seconds, then squeeze dry and set aside.
• Drop garlic into a food processor with motor running, then drop in nuts and process until finely ground. Add bread and 3 tablespoons lemon juice and process until smooth. With motor still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until incorporated. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste.
• Cook cauliflower:
• Remove any leaves from cauliflower, leaving core intact. Cut cauliflower into 1/2-inch-thick slices as if it were a loaf of bread, then cut slices into 2-inch pieces (some florets will separate).
• Bring cauliflower to a boil with enough water to cover it in a 4- to 5-quart pot, then reduce heat and simmer until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain well in a colander and pat dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of cauliflower, turning over occasionally, until very well browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total.
• Transfer to a platter with a slotted spatula and season with salt and pepper.
• Wipe out skillet, then sauté remaining cauliflower in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same manner, transferring to platter and seasoning.
• Serve cauliflower, warm or at room temperature, with sauce and celery leaves (if using).