Baked Whole Fish with Dates

Name: Baked Whole Fish with Dates
Yield: makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: One 3- to 4-pound grouper, red snapper, carp, or sea bass, gilled, gutted, and scaled, head may be on or off; Salt and black pepper to taste; 1 1/2 cups pitted dates; 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter; 1 large onion, sliced; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

December 14, 2011

Dates, of course, are a staple food of the Sahara and many other deserts; they grow on palm trees, keep forever, and, to nomads, are far more important than any bread product. But only in coastal North Africa and parts of the Middle East does date country meet the sea and a dish like this come about. Substitute prunes for dates if you prefer. A simple pilaf, chosen from among those on pages 513 to 514, would be great here, as would Houria (page 191).

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