Ingredients: Fish: 1 1/2 pounds of whitefish fillets with skin left on, cut into 2-inch pieces, or 6 herring fillets, soaked in cold water for 12 hours, cut into 2-inch pieces and patted dry with paper towels. 1 tablespoon of salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup of flour 1/2 cup of vegetable oil Marinade sauce: 3/4 cup of vegetable oil 2 cups of coarsely chopped onions 3/4cup of tomato paste (6 ounces) 2 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar 3 teaspoon of sugar 1/4 teaspoon of powdered cloves 1 bay leaf, coarsely crumble 5 whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon of salt Directions:1. If you are using the whitefish, sprinkle it with the tablespoon of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Because they are quite salty to begin with, the herring pieces need only to be sprinkled with pepper. Whatever the fish, coat it well with flour and vigorously shake off any excess. 2. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat ? cup of oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it. Add 6 or 8 pieces of fish, lower the heat to moderate, and brown them 3 to 5 minutes of each side, turning the pieces over with tongs. Transfer the browned fish with tongs to a double thickness of paper towels to drain, and fry and drain the remaining fish similarly. 3. Pour 1/3 of the marinade into a shallow 2-quart enameled, glass or stainless steel baking dish and arrange half the fish in it in one layer. Moisten the fish with 1/3 more of the marinade and arrange the remaining fish in another layer on top. Pour in the remaining marinade and let the fish marinade uncovered and unrefrigerated for at least 6 hours. Then refrigerate, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for at least 24 hours before serving. The herring will keep as long as 1 week in the refrigerator; in fact, its flavor will improve with longer marinating. 4. Sauce: In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it. Drop in the onions, reduce the heat to moderate and, stirring frequently, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not brown. Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer undisturbed for about 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and cool the marinade to lukewarm. |