I spotted several recipes in which people were riffing on Claudia Rosen’s recipe for fish baked in a tahini-lemon sauce, so I decided to try the original recipe, which is in her classic The New Book of Middle Eastern Food (which replaced my worn-out copy of her original 1972 book).

We enjoyed it with home-made pitas, but I think it would also be good with rice.  This version will serve 6 and will take about 30 minutes to prepare. (The photo actually shows 2 servings minus the parsley garnish.)

2 lbs. fish fillets, cut into 6 equal pieces (I used salmon)

Salt

2 large onions, cut into thin slices

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup tahini paste

½-2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup water

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

2 lemons cut into wedges for serving.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Season the fish with salt.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and sweat them until they are translucent, a few minutes. Remove from the heat.

Beat together in a bowl the tahini, lemon juice, and water to form a light and creamy sauce.  (It will be tight at first but will loosen.) Add salt to taste.

Select a baking dish just big enough for the fish fillets to be placed in a single layer.  Cover the bottom with the softened onions.  Top the onions with the fish fillets.  Pour over it all the tahini-lemon sauce.  Bake for about 20-30 minutes until the fish flakes easily.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.