Starting in September, when fall is coming, Bonito migrate from the Black Sea to the Aegean via the Bosphorus. Once they were so many you could catch them with your bare hands. It is one of the most common fish of the Black Sea, it is tasty, scaleless, and dark meaty fish with thick bones, thus easy to eat. It can be steamed, pickled, even salted.
This dish was originally served for fasting Christian Priests during the Ottoman Empire. This is also the reason why this dish is called Priest’s Stew / Papaz Yahni in Turkish.
It is a sight to see small boats gathering around in the Bosphorus to catch bonitos when in abundance this year again during September and October.
Homes and restaurants are happy to add bonito to their menus. Often prepared as fried or grilled. These do not have much difficulty, so I chose to share with you my bonito stew recipe.
The juice of the bonitos combined with lots of garlic and onions is really a treat. Unfortunately makes you eat a lot of bread. It needs lots of chopping of onions and some carrots.
It looks nice even before cooked. Actually the only difficulty is cutting all the onions. Lighting up a candle next to your chopping board might relieve your eyes a little bit.
So I hope you prepare and enjoy this lovely and very healthy dish.
Bonito Stew
Ingredients
- 4 bonitos middle sized
- 6 onions
- 500 grams tomatoes
- 2 carrots
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- teaspoon teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ lemon’s juice
- ½ lemon's wedges
- 10 parsley stalks
- 250 grams olive oil
Instructions
- Bonito’s should be washed, cleaned in the inside. If large enough cut to 2 centimetres thick slices or if not cut into two vertically. Take out all the fishbones.
- Cut the onions into half and then to julienne slices.
- Put the olive oil in a pot and add the onions. Cook, stirring until the onions are translucent and well done.
- Meanwhile rinse and chop the tomatoes to small cubes. You can use the food processor or grate.
- Wash and peel the carrots and cut them to small cubes.
- Crush and mince the garlic.
- Wash and add two bay leaves.
- When the onions are done add the carrots and the garlic to the pot. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Finally pour in the tomatoes and cook until all the ingredients combine well and the tomatoes are well done.
- Add salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste.
- When all the vegetables are well done, transfer half of the mixture on the oven tray or dish. Place the bonitos on the mixture. The skins should be facing downwards. Spread evenly the remaining tomato mixture on top of the bonitos.
- Sprinkle with rinsed and chopped parsley. Leave out the thick and stiff stalks. Pour half a lemon’s juice.
- Cook for about 20 minutes in a pre-heated ovet at 170° Celsius.
- When you take the tray out of the oven garnish with thin-cut lemon slices. Rest for 5 minutes and serve while still warm.