Fruit from the sea

There's a story in the Talmud about how, while the Israelites were crossing Yam Suf, there were trees growing out of the walls of water around them and the trees bore fruit to feed them along the way. 

I have a long standing disagreement with my friend Debbie about the validity of midrashim.  She accepts them as Torah from Sinai; I see them as interesting fiction. Take the above mentioned story. Assuming trees can grow and bear fruit in walls of water (not too hard to imagine with hydroponics becoming more and more common), and assuming it can happen very quickly (instead of over a few years, like normal trees), I still say it is farfetched. Because how long could it have taken the Israelites to cross the sea? Weeks? Days? Probably a couple of hours or so. Did they really need extra food for such a short journey? And, with the Egyptians chasing after them, did they really have time to stop and pick apples?

Still, the story is there for a reason, no? What did they pick from the walls of water around them? Which fruit do you get from the sea? Fish. And this part is very easy to imagine, because when the sea split open, I am sure there were some fish who did not read the memo and so were caught by surprise, finding themselves floundering (pun intended, of course) at the edge of the walls of water, easy to be plucked by the passing Israelites. 

Jews love fish. We're supposed to eat them at every Shabbat and holiday. Is it so hard to assume than that the 'fruit' in the story was actually 'frutto del mare'?


The Jews of Italy created the following dish specifically for Shabbat. It's different and sounds very strange but it is very Italian. I found this in a book called (appropriately enough) "The Gefilte Variation" by Jayne Cohen. Excellent book, with wonderful stories about each recipe. 


Pesce in Saor

2 pounds lemon sole, grouper, red snapper, perch or tilapia fillets (no thicker than 1/2 inch)
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, for frying, plus 2 Tbs
1 large juicy orange, preferably thin skinned, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds onion, very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup balsamic (or red wine) vinegar
1 cup orange juice
1 bay leaf


Remove bones from fillets, if necessary, and cut into 4 inch pieces.
Soak in cold, slightly salted water for 20 minutes (this is an ancient method that seasons the fish and helps it stay firm when fried)
Pat the fish dry. 
Spread flour on wax paper or large platter and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish pieces thoroughly in the flour and shake lightly to remove excess. Fry fish in 1/4 inch of very hot (but not smoking) oil in a large, heavy skillet, until golden on both sides, Drain well on paper towels.
Line a large glass or ceramic baking dish with orange slices and arrange fish pieces on top, in one layer (you can overlap pieces slightly, if necessary)
Wipe out all the oil out of the frying pan. Add the 2 Tbs of fresh oil and warm it. Add the onions and toss until they are completely covered in oil. Salt and pepper lightly, cover and cook slowly over very low heat for 35-40 minutes, until the onions are meltingly tender. Stir occasionaly to make sure they don't burn.
While the onions are cooking, soak the raisins in the vinegar.
When the onions are very tender, stir in the vinegar, raisins, orange juice and bay leaf. Turn the heat to high and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half and onions are caramelized and richly colored, about 15-20 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to redistribute the syrupy juices and, if necessary, turn the heat down a bit to prevent the onions from sticking or burning. Season generously with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf.
Spread the caramelized onion mixture evenly over the fish. Scatter the pine nuts on top. 
Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to overnight (even better when served after 48 hours)
It will keep well for at least 4 days.
The fish is best at room temperature so remove from refrigerator at least an hour before serving. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley, if desired.

Serves 6-8



Singing and dancing after eating this dish is optional, but it seems like the right thing to do.