Balık Ekmek Turkish Bluefish Sandwich

Spiced grilled bluefish in a toasted baguette with sumac onions, a garlicky yogurt sauce and spicy piparra peppers.

⏱ 50 min · medium · 🍽 serves 4

Ingredients

• For the bluefish:
• 1½ lb bluefish fillet, skin and pin bones removed
• 2 tbsp Fancy Peasant Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• ½ tsp smoked or sweet paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• For the sumac onions:
• 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1½ tsp sumac
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp Fancy Peasant Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch of Fancy Peasant Greek Mountain Oregano Salt
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• For the lemon-garlic sauce:
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Fancy Peasant Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Pinch of Aleppo pepper, optional
• For assembly:
• 1 large baguette, cut into 4 sandwich-size portions
• 8–12 spicy pickled piparra peppers, drained
• 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
• 1–2 cups shredded romaine or crisp lettuce
• Fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges
• Fancy Peasant Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for finishing

Steps

1. Make the sumac onions: combine the sliced red onion, sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano salt and parsley in a bowl. Gently massage together for about 30 seconds, then let sit for 10–15 minutes, until slightly softened but still crisp.
2. Make the sauce: mix the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and optional Aleppo pepper until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Cut the bluefish into four portions. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, cumin, Aleppo pepper, paprika, kosher salt and black pepper, and rub the mixture lightly over the fish. Let sit for about 10 minutes while you heat a grill or cast-iron pan until very hot.
4. Cook the bluefish for 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–3 minutes on the second, depending on thickness, until opaque and just firm. Turn it gently with a wide spatula. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
5. Split the baguette portions lengthwise. Brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil and toast on the grill or in the pan until golden, crisp and lightly charred.
6. Spread a thin layer of the lemon-garlic sauce over the toasted baguette. Layer with lettuce, tomato, the hot bluefish, sumac onions, piparra peppers and fresh parsley.
7. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of Fancy Peasant Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Serve immediately.