Meze Atlas, Fish and seafood

Uskumru Dolma

/oos·KOOM·roo dol·MA/

Whole mackerel skins stuffed with the fish, onion, nuts and spices, then fried

Our chef's recipe, coming soon. This is the classic version, as it is made on most meyhane tables.

Ingredients

• 4whole mackerel (about 300 g each), ungutted
• 3onions (about 400 g), finely chopped
• 60 mlolive oil
• 2 tbsppine nuts
• 2 tbspcurrants, soaked for 15 minutes
• 50 gwalnuts, chopped
• 1 tspground allspice
• ½ tspground cinnamon
• ½ tspblack pepper
• 1 tspsalt
• ½ bunch eachdill and parsley, chopped
• 50 gplain flour
• 2eggs, beaten
• 100 gfine dry breadcrumbs
• 500 mlsunflower oil, for frying

Method

1. Roll and gently press each fish along its length to loosen the flesh from the skin. Cut through the backbone just above the tail without piercing the skin. Pull off the head through the gills and gut the fish, then work the flesh and bones out through the head opening, leaving the skin whole.
2. Rinse the skins. Poach the flesh for 3 minutes in a little salted water, then remove every bone and flake it.
3. Cook the onions in the olive oil for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Add the pine nuts for 3 minutes, then the currants, walnuts, spices and salt.
4. Mix in the flaked fish and herbs and cool.
5. Fill the skins through the head opening, pressing the filling down to the tail to rebuild the shape.
6. Dust each fish in flour, dip in egg and coat in breadcrumbs. Fry in oil at 170°C for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden.
7. Drain, cool and cut into thick slices. Serve at room temperature with lemon.