Papaz Yahni with Mackerel — Istanbul-Style Stew with Shallots and Vinegar

Dip the shallots in boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer them to cold water; the skins will slip off with finger pressure. Do not trim the root ends so the shallots stay whole. Shallots trimmed at the root separate into layers as they cook and cloud the stew.

Rinse and dry the mackerel slices, and remove the dark bloodline along the backbone. Season both sides with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate the slices until you are ready to cook them.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Cook the shallots over medium heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until golden on all sides. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the currants, bay leaf, cinnamon, and sugar. The sauté is ready when the raw smell of the tomato paste is gone and the oil turns red.

Add the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 16 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. The stew base is ready when a fork pierces a shallot without resistance. Do not add the vinegar yet; its acidity would keep the shallots from softening.

Arrange the mackerel slices in a single layer among the shallots, then pour the apple cider vinegar around the edge of the pot. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes without stirring. The fish is cooked when the flesh separates from the backbone when touched with the tip of a knife.

Turn off the heat and let the stew rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm or at room temperature; the flavors come together as the stew cools.