Poached Cod With Pomegranate Molasses Sauce

Prep time 10 min Cook time 20 min

A quick and unusually exotic recipe for fish filets poached in a tangy pomegranate sauce.

Most middle class homes in the Middle East still have cooks and they are a most valuable asset because your reputation as a host or hostess is made or ruined by the quality of the lunches or dinners you serve. How tightly wrapped your stuffed grape vine leaves are, how fluffy your rice is and how sweet your aubergines dishes are food for praise or gossip that endures. So a good cook is feted, cajoled and is often employed for decades and becomes part of the family.

The only possible asset that may be as valuable are the recipes themselves. I have known parents who have held back recipes from their children because they wanted to retain some kind of popularity over them. I have known cooks who had unique recipes they kept secret as a means to get employment or subtly blackmail heads of households into giving them a salary raise.

I have also met generous hosts and hostesses who have shared their knowledge and secrets. Such a person is one of Cairo’s grand dames who hosted a sumptuous feast in honor of Marcelle and me during a recent trip to Egypt.

She was gracious enough to share this simple, quick recipe where the layers of flavor are quite unique. You should try the dish.

What you need ( for two portions)

Two 6 oz filets of cod (or any other firm flaky fish that can be poached like halibut, turbot)
1 Medium sized yellow onion
2 Tbs vegetable oil (divided)
3 Tbs Pomegranate Molasses ( available from any Middle Eastern food store or Amazon. Some of the better supermarkets also carry it).
1/2 cup of water
The juice of a quarter lemon
1/2 Tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste.
Pomegranate seeds for garnish ( optional)

What to do

Pat the filets dry.
Slice the onions as thin as you can and on a low fire sauté them in two tablespoons of vegetable oil stirring frequently until they are soft. (about 10 min)
Stir in two tablespoons of pomegranate molasses and half a cup of water.
Poach the filets in that liquid for about 3 minutes each side (for thick fillets). (depending on how hot your burners are, add a little water to keep the sauce from drying).
Just before the fish is cooked, mix into the sauce the juice of quarter lemon, a couple of pinches of cumin and salt to taste. ( you can vary the how much of each ingredient to add. You may like a more lemony taste or a stronger cumin flavor).
Plate each fish portion, dress with the sauce and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds if available.