The Dish That Guarantees: You Will Never Be Left Alone on Tu B'Av

The dish that guarantees: you will never be left alone on Tu B'Av.

A dish full of wonderful balances from the creator, MasterChef graduate Itay Dagan. The only downside: the cooking is done in olive oil, so a generous amount is required. In return, you will get a plate that anyone who tastes it will want to be yours forever.

Ingredients:

• 600–800 grams of meaty white fish fillet (meagre, grouper, cod, barramundi, or any white fish you like)

• Olive oil

• 1 lemon, sliced

• 3–4 garlic cloves, sliced

• Slices of hot green pepper, to taste

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained

• A few sprigs of fresh za'atar or thyme

• Fine salt

• Ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Salt the fish pieces with a little fine salt and set aside for 10–15 minutes. The short salting seasons the fish from the inside and helps it stay juicy.

2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan or a skillet that is oven-safe, and sear the lemon slices until they are well browned on both sides.

3. Add the sliced garlic, hot green pepper, and chickpeas, and stir for about a minute.

4. Place the fish pieces on top, add the za'atar or thyme sprigs, and season with ground black pepper.

5. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius, top-bottom heat.

6. Pour olive oil into the pan until it covers the chickpeas and the fish.

7. Place in the oven for 30–60 minutes, until the fish is soft and flakes easily and the chickpeas have absorbed all the flavors.

8. Serve the fish and chickpeas with a little of the aromatic oil on top, charred lemons, and if desired, a little more fresh za'atar or grated lemon zest. For a dairy meal, it is recommended to serve with a spoonful of cold Greek yogurt.