Blehat Samak

Ingredients
A few Fish Heads Tails and Bones
500 g Fish cod haddock halibut sea bream or a mixture of any of these
2 small Onions
2 Bay Leaves
1 stalk Celery
Salt
Black Pepper
180 g White Bread or 120 g dry White Breadcrumbs
2 cloves Garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped Parsley
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Egg
Flour
Butter or Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon or more
Chopped Parsley to decorate

Method

Ask the fishmonger to give you some heads, tails and bones to make a stock.

Skin, bone and mince the fish. Alternatively, boil whole pieces of fish until soft and mash them to a paste with a fork.

Boil the fish trimmings in about 1 litre of water with a whole onion, the bay leaves, celery, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently for about 1/2 an hour; strain and reserve.

Slice the bread and remove the crusts. Soak in water and squeeze dry. Or if using dry breadcrumbs, moisten them with water. Crush the garlic cloves with a little salt. Chop the remaining onion finely. Put all these in a large bowl with the minced (or mashed cooked) fish. Add the finely chopped parsley, corinader, cumin and egg, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix and knead thoroughly by hand. Take walnut sized lumps of the mixture and roll them into small finger shapes. Roll them in flour. Fry them in butter or deep-fry in oil until golden brown.

Drain thoroughly; arrange in a large pan. Pour in enough of the prepared fish stock to cover. Add lemon juice, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Turn the fish into a large serving dish and cover with the sauce. Allow to cool. The sauce will become a jelly when cold. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Remarks
Appeared on menu: Blehat Samak $3.20 (Middle Eastern style 'fish fingers' with spices, onion and parsley)