Black bass with walnut tarator is a Middle Eastern fish dish combining seared skin-on fillets with a robust sauce of walnuts, tehina, and fish fumet. The sauce's deep, nutty flavor and the fish's crispy exterior make this an elegant yet approachable entrée.
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Make the walnut tarator: Place half the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until very finely ground, but stop before they turn into a paste. Hand-chop the remaining walnuts into pea-size pieces. Transfer the ground walnuts to a large bowl and add the chopped walnuts, tehina sauce, fumet, and lemon juice. Whisk in salt and Urfa or Aleppo pepper.
Season the bass fillets with salt. Heat 1/4 inch oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly crush the garlic cloves on the counter with the palm of your hand and add them to the oil.
When the oil begins to shimmer but before it begins to smoke, and working in batches to avoid crowding, add the fish fillets to the pan, skin side down. Shake the pan so the skin doesn't stick. Lower the heat to medium and let the fish cook undisturbed until the flesh turns opaque halfway up the sides of the fillets, about 5 minutes.
While the fish is cooking, tilt the pan to pool the oil and use a spoon to baste the fish with the hot garlic oil.
With a spatula, carefully flip the fish (the skin will release easily when it is ready) and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the flesh side.
Transfer the fillets to a warm platter and top with the dill sprigs. Serve immediately with the walnut tarator.
Store cooked bass and tarator separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days; reheat bass gently at 300°F to avoid drying skin. Sauce keeps refrigerated for 3 days.
Yes. Sea bass, branzino, halibut, or any firm white fish with skin works well. Adjust cooking time based on thickness—thinner fillets cook faster.
Use high-quality fish stock, or substitute with chicken stock and add an extra squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the sauce.
Pat fillets dry, season skin well, and place skin-side down in hot oil. Don't move them—let the skin crisp for 3–4 minutes before flipping.
Yes, prepare it up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Whisk or blend before serving.
Urfa is darker and slightly smoky; Aleppo is brighter and more fruity. Either works—use what you have or omit if unavailable.
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