1/2 c Bulgur, fine (cracked wheat)
1/2 sm Onion, cut in half
Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) ——————————–FISH FILLING——————————– 1/2 lb Flounder, fillets, OR
1/2 lb Cod, fillets
2 tb Butter, unsalted
1 md Onion, chopped
2 Scallions, trimmed, chopped
1 tb Cilantro, chopped
— (coriander) (opt) 1 ts Cumin, ground
Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) ——————————–TAHINI SAUCE——————————– 1/2 c Tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 c Water (approximately)
2 tb Vinegar, red wine
1 ea Garlic, clove, minced
Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) 2 tb Parsley, chopped
Oil, vegetable (for frying) Cover the bulgur with water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain and, a handful at a time, thoroughly squeeze out all liquid. Place bulgur, onions, salt and pepper in processor and process with on-and-off turns until nearly smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Transfer to bowl and knead until smooth. Set aside. Fish Filling: ============= Steam fish until just cooked. Flake into small pieces and set aside. Heat butter in a small skillet then add onion and scallions and saute until onion wilts, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flaked fish, cilantro, cumin and salt and pepper, stirring gently over medium heat 2 minutes. Set aside and cool completely. For Tahini Sauce: ================= Place tahini and a 1/2 cup water in processor or blender; blend until smooth. Add wine vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper; blend until smooth. Add enough water to bring sauce to pouring consistency. Transfer to small bowl and stir in parsley. Set aside, covered, at room temperature. To Assemble: ============ To assemble, place small bowl if ice water on work surface. Using palms, form golf ball-size balls of bulgur mixture. Dipping fingers in ice water as you work shape each ball into a hollow tube around your index finger, gently pressing mixture into small cigar-shaped tubes about 3 inches long. Moisten fingers frequently and patch any cracks as you work. Slip each shell off your finger and fill with about 1 tablespoon of cooled fish filling using a small spoon. Press ends of tubes over fish filling, forming a tight seal. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in large saucepan to 375 F. Fry kobebas until golden, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once. Serve immediately with tahini sauce. Source: New York’s Master Chefs, Bon Appetit Magazine : Written by Richard Sax, Photographs by Nancy McFarland : The Knapp Press, Los Angeles, 1985 Chef: Andree Abramoff, Andree’s Mediterranean Restaurant, New York