Eats: Poisson Yassa from Ponty Bistro in Harlem
HARLEM (WABC) -- We're mixing things up in this week's Neighborhood Eats visiting a restaurant that combines both French and African dishes.
Alioune and Elhadji Ciss are cousins and the owners of Ponty Bistro.
Opening a restaurant in Harlem was a dream to follow their first Ponty Bistro in Gramercy Park.
The food here is French, Senegalese and a fusion of both.
On the menu, two versions of mussels: One is made with coconut milk and the other with African spice. Another dish that gets that African spice is the Poisson Yassa. The recipe is below.
Learn more about Ponty Bistro in Harlem by visiting their website here.
Poisson Yassa from Ponty Bistro
3 onions, diced
1 green peppers, diced
1 red peppers, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 tablespoons African spice (*)
2 tablespoons pitted green olives
2 tablespoons pearl onions
4 tablespoons white vinegar
5 cloves minced garlic, minced
3 tablespoons French mustard
Juice from 1 lemon
1.25 pound whole fish (Branzino is ideal)
4 TBS olive oil
salt
Pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Cut several slits in each side of the fish, then place a pinch of garlic and a pinch of African spice in each slit. Sprinkle a little more garlic and spice on each side as well as salt and pepper.
Heat 2TBS olive oil Over medium high heat (in oven proof pan). Add fish, cook about 2-3 minutes per side and remove from pan.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan you used to cook the fish.
Lightly sautee the onions, peppers, carrots. After 2 minutes, add the mustard and vinegar.
Place the fish under the vegetables Transfer the whole pan to the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes
Remove pan from oven and toss in olives, pearl onions and the lemon juice. Serve along with rice.
* You can find this spice in African markets, but essentially it's made of chili pepper, cayenne pepper, black pepper and toasted coriander. You can use these dried or buy the seeds and crush them with a mortar and pestle. At Ponty Bistro they also add fresh parsley to their spice mix.
