Morocco - Fish with Almond Paste (Hut B'noua)

[Olga Drozd]

Morocco - Fish with Almond Paste (Hut B'noua)

An exotic and unusual dish that is not too sweet.  If you want to make this dish with fish fillets, place the fillets atop a bed of the saffroned onions and spread a layer of the almond paste on the fillets.  Bake, basting with a little melted butter, for 10 to 12 minutes.

1 whole snapper, salmon or other whole mild fish, about 3 1/2 pounds, cleaned (1.75 kg)
Salt for rubbing on fish, plus 1 teaspoon salt
2 cups almond, toasted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon orange flower water
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads steeped in 1/4 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 oz./60 g)

Rub the fish with salt, inside and out, then rinse.  Cut 3 or 4 shallow diagonal slits on each side of the body.  Set aside.

Put the almonds and sugar in a blender or in a processor fitted with the metal blade and grind.  Add the cinnamon, orange flower water and the water and pulse briefly to combine.  Pack half of this mixture into the fish and skewer closed.  Place the fish in an oiled baking pan or ovenproof baking dish.  Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 400º F.

In a small saute pan over medium head=t, warm the oil.  Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the saffron and its soaking water, the 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.  Place the saffroned onions around the fish.  Rub the remaining almond paste atop the fish (not on the head or tail) and evenly drizzle on the melted butter.  Bake until the fish tests done when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the fish and onions to a warmed serving platter and serve at once.  Serves 6.