Best Fish Stuffed With Herbs Walnuts And Pomegranate Recipes

HERB-STUFFED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large oven-safe saute pan or baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven to preheat.
• Season the belly cavity of the fish with salt and pepper. Place 2 or 3 lemon slices and a few sprigs each of thyme, oregano and parsley into the cavity of each fish. Really, just fill the cavities with all the lemon and herbs that will fit.
• Now for the fun part! Close the cavity of each fish by "sewing" a skewer through the skin: Hold the skin together, tucking in the herbs, and weave the skewer up and down through the skin to seal the cavity. The skewer stays in while the fish is cooking. Season the outside of the fish with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Divide the olive oil among the 4 fish and use your fingers to rub it on, coating them well on all sides.
• Carefully remove the preheated pan from the oven and gently place the fish in it. There should be a searing noise -- that means you're doing it right! Return the pan to the oven and roast the fish for 15 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the skewers and place the fish (herbs and all) on large plates for serving. Since these are whole fish, be mindful of the bones as you eat, and advise your guests to be careful as well.

STUFFED BRANZINO WITH WALNUTS AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• For the fish: Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick spray.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 3 slits, spaced evenly apart, through the skin and flesh of each branzino on both sides. Pat dry and place on the prepared baking sheet. Mix the olive oil with the onion powder, turmeric, garlic, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; rub all over each branzino, inside and outside. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Uncover the fish and roast until fully cooked, about 30 minutes. The cooked fish will have white flesh that flakes easily.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the walnuts, barberries, oregano, sumac, cayenne, scallions and 1 teaspoon salt. Give the mixture a good stir, reduce the heat to medium low then add the pomegranate molasses. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to hydrate a bit and everything is well combined and coated, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Stuff the filling into the fish and top with any extra filling, the pomegranate seeds, parsley and lemon slices.

PERSIAN TAMARIND FISH

Steps:

• Put the barberries in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let soak for 30 minutes.
• Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides, brush all over with oil, and place fillets on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 hours uncovered, or up to 24 hours covered with plastic wrap.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they start to darken at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook until dark brown and reduced to half the original volume, about 20 minutes.
• Add garlic, almonds, drained barberries and 2 tablespoons tamarind to pan. (If using cranberries instead of barberries, add an additional tablespoon of tamarind.) Cook over medium heat until fragrant, 5 minutes. Stir in herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Press barberry mixture on top of fillets. Drizzle with more oil and bake until fish is just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with any barberry mixture that fell off the fish, sprinkle with more fresh herbs, and serve with lime wedges.