food memories – Basil & Roses

Savory Onion Omelette

January 14, 2024 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

Simple yet sophisticated at the intersection of sweet and savory. This onion omelette has a grounding taste, earthy and comforting. A swift recipe for a satisfying meal — be it the main event for breakfast and dinner — or a supporting role at brunch.

The subtle sweetness of the fragrant caramelized onion complements the creamy eggs, created through folds during the quick cooking process. Salty feta adds an additional layer of flavor with briney delight, but the omelette is just as wonderful without cheese.

Omelettes are a kitchen’s miracle. Whether made by a self-though home cook like moi, or a French master chef. It’s magic. A couple of ingredients and a perfect meal in minutes.

Eggs and omelettes are my favorite medium in the art of cooking, a blank canvas for creating flavor and beauty.

There are many reasons I love omelettes. Perhaps i’s because that is how the inspiring Julia Child, my hero entered the American imagination by cooking an Omelette on public television (in the early days of black and white TV’s), and consequently revolutionized how we we cook, how we eat and our relationship to the homemade meal. Maybe it’s because happy childhood memories in Tehran include a savory omelette, sometimes with tomatoes (tokhmemorgh gojeh) swiped up with fresh flatbread (noon sangak) and enjoyed in pure umami delight. Maybe it’s just cooking for old times sake – eggs go way back as humans have consumed eggs, fried or beaten, for thousands of years ever since hens were domesticated…

Regardless it’s just good. A delightful addition to our weekend brunch tables or an expeditious standalone meal. Surprisingly nostalgic and modern at the same time. So make it, enjoy it and as Julia would say, Bon Appetit!

Ingredients-

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 eggs, whisked
1-2 inch cube feta cheese, crumble (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley, basil, or chives for garnish (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation-
*Video demonstration found here.

Heat olive oil to medium-high in a skillet, preferably nonstick.

As olive oil begins to shimmer in the pan, add onions and saute 3-4 minutes until slightly caramelized, stirring often to brown evenly.

While onions sizzle, add eggs to a bowl and whisk until yolks and whites are combined.

Add eggs to onions in the skillet, season with salt and lower heat to medium-low.

Gently push the egg from the outer edges of the skillet towards the center of the pan with a spatula, softly creating large folds as you go along all sides of the pan. Tilt pan if necessary to force liquid egg to the outer edges of pan and repeat creating folds towards the center. Do this for 2-3 minutes until eggs are cooked to desired doneness.

Avoid the urge to turn the heat up at any point to avoid burning the bottom of the eggs.

Turn heat off and top eggs with a black pepper, feta and herbs if using. If not using feta, season with more salt according to taste.

Immediately serve to a plate and enjoy!

Pomegranate Lacquered Whole Branzino with Za’atar

October 27, 2021 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

I have fond childhood memories of eating whole fish on family vacations in the lush areas of Northern Iran near the Caspian sea. Seafood was abundant, especially trout and whitefish (ghezel ala), often fried whole. The appetizing aroma of crispy fried trout mingling with the salt-kissed ocean air was delightful. The seafood was fresh, prepared simply with herbs and garlic, and at times with a squeeze of Seville orange (Naarenj). Fresh fish, aromatic herbs, uncomplicated, delicious. The flavor memories of these relaxed summer outings co-mingle with recollections of happy weekend road trips, lush orchard picnics, and river-side camp sites where the sound of the rumbling stream was as lovely as the family banter. Often, a whole watermelon was placed in nearby streams to keep it cool for post meal consumption. This specific memory of a watermelon floating in water is filed under the enchanting simple moments of life that make you smile (photo below).

The golden whitefish were often accompanied by pickles (torshi), and steamed buttery rice, but the fish was the highlight. Enticing flavors, only second to the pleasant breeze and ruby red geraniums ubiquitous to the seaside villas we inhabited. These casual family moments by the sea and lighthearted afternoons in the sun colored my childhood with happiness and delight.

This recipe is my homage to those memories. I bake not fry the fish and incorporate another favorite northern Iranian ingredient: pomegranate. Savory zaatar and olive oil are added for a rustic but elegant dish. Baked, light and flakey whole fish is an enjoyable way to experience seafood — by the sea or in our urban kitchen, wherever we may be.

The recipe comes together quickly in about 30 minutes. Golden olive oil brings all the flavors together and the sweetness of the pomegranate molasses lacquers while cooking creating a magical sweet and sour and savory flavor combination.

You can skip the pomegranate and za’atar and simply dress the fish with olive oil while stuffing the cavity with lemons, a clove of garlic and herbs (say rosemary or thyme). Whatever you put in the cavity perfumes the entire fish while cooking.

Ingredients

2 whole fish, like branzino or black bass, roughly 1 pounds each, cleaned and gutted by the fish market
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon zaatar (adjust to taste)
Lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a sharp knife, make four diagonal, parallel slashes on each side of the fish, scoring the skin.

Using a brush or your fingers, rub olive oil, enough to fully coat the flesh and the skin on the inside and outside of the fish, then season inside and out with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, add the remaining olive oil with the pomegranate molasses and zaatar, whisking rapidly until combined.

Cover the inside and outside of the fish with the pomegranate mixture, reserving a small amount, about a quarter for serving. Place fish in a roasting pan- ensuring the fish are not touching and the pan is not crowded.

Roast fish for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. Cooking time can vary due to fish size. Cook until the skin is browned and the flesh is opaque.

Place fish in a serving plate and drizzle with remaining pomegranate–olive oil mixture. Balance sweetness developed while cooking with a splash of fresh lemon juice and enjoy immediately.

~Tip~
Preparing a whole fish may seem intimidating but it’s not as difficult as it seems. Cooking a fish whole results in more flavor from the skin and the bones. Just make sure the fish is fresh. The eyes should be clear and the fish should look shiny, not dull in color. And as always with selecting any fish, it should smell like the ocean and not “fishy.”