Tara Khattar’s siyyadiye (white fish with caramelized onions)

1. Rinse the fish thoroughly and dry it well.
2. Cut off the tail and head.
3. Heat a few centimeters of oil in a sauté pan.
4. Fry the head and tail for a few minutes.
5. Peel and slice the onions. Gently caramelize them over medium heat in the same oil used to cook the head and tail.
6. Continue cooking until the onions are almost burned; this will give the rice a deep color.
7. Place the cooked head and tail in a large pot.
8. Add the caramelized onions, without the cooking oil.
9. Add enough water to cover, and cook at a gentle simmer for 1 hour.
10. Season the broth with cumin, salt and pepper, and the juice of 3 lemons.
11. Pass the mixture through a food mill.
12. Keep the liquid from the first pressing, the thickest part, to serve as sauce.
13. Set aside the remaining strained liquid: count 12 glasses for the 6 glasses of rice.
14. Preheat the oven to 200°C (about 400°F, gas mark 6-7).
15. Brush the fish body with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for 20 minutes.
16. Bring the 12 glasses of broth to a boil, add the rice, and reduce heat to low.
17. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
18. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for another 10 minutes.
19. Meanwhile, cut the fish flesh into large pieces.
20. In a small pan, toast the pine nuts in butter until golden.
21. Serve the rice with the pieces of fish, sprinkle with pine nuts, and serve with the sauce.

This recipe is from the book "Liban, une histoire de cuisine familiale, d'amour et de partage", by Tara Khattar, published by Hachette in 2020. Each of the 100 recipes in this book pays tribute to the culinary legacy handed down to her by her grandmothers. She learned everything from their hands and strives, with success, to share the happiness and sense of fulfillment she feels with every recipe she makes.