Fried Whiting with Smoked Eggplant and Caperberries
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
You can replace the whiting with another fish of your preference or stick to fillets if that’s more your style.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces of fish per person 1/2 to a kg, cleaned and scaled
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of gluten free flour ( or plain)
- 4 tbsp of cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked salt
- 4 tbsp of Sesame seeds
- 1 cup (240 ml) of oil for frying ( vegetable, nut or grapeseed)
- 1 eggplant ( approx 250gm - 8oz)
- 1 x can drained chickpeas ( 400gm - 7oz)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) tahini ( sesame paste- from supermarkets)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked salt
- 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- pepper
- 1/2 bunch of parsley or coriander roughly chopped
- Caperberries
Instructions
- Put the eggplant over an open gas flame turning occasionally until the skin is charred. (Approx 10 minutes). Pop the eggplant into the oven for another 10 minutes until very soft (this can also be done under a grill). Peel off the dark skin, keeping any juice. Tip the eggplant into a food processor or a blender and add the chickpeas, lemon juice, cumin salt and tahini and blend until smooth. Add more smoked salt and lemon juice after tasting if necessary
- Cut the tomatoes into 1/2’s or 1/4’s. Toss in the olive oil and lemon zest and put onto a tray and roast till just softening. Put aside
- Dry the fish. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a container and toss the fish till coated. Preheat the oil and fry the fish on high till brown and crispy. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Serve the fish with some of the eggplant puree, roast tomatoes tossed with the chopped parsley or coriander and Caperberries
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why char the eggplant over an open flame rather than just roasting it?
The recipe chars the whole eggplant over a gas flame for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, then finishes it in the oven for another 10 minutes until very soft. The flame charring burns the skin and infuses a smoky depth into the flesh that you can’t get from oven-roasting alone — and the smoked eggplant purée is the flavour centrepiece of the dish.
What are caperberries and how are they different from capers?
Caperberries are the mature fruit of the caper bush — larger than the familiar pickled caper buds, with a milder briny flavour and an olive-like texture. They are served whole here as a garnish alongside the fish and eggplant purée, and can usually be found near the olives or pickles in well-stocked supermarkets.
Can I use a different fish if I can’t find whiting?
Yes — the excerpt says you can replace the whiting with any fish you prefer or use fillets instead of whole fish. The recipe’s coating of cumin, sesame seeds, smoked salt, and gluten-free flour works equally well on any firm white fish. 
