L'Assiette des Assiettes means "the dish of dishes." In Senegal the term is used to refer to the appetizer of appetizers, white fish on black- eyed peas, a dish featured in every good restaurant in Dakar Only the sauce varies. The one above was given to us by M. Mamadou of Les Cannibales Deux. (The heart of palm may be purchased in a gourmet shop or omitted if desired.)
24 Tbs. cooked black-eyed peas
8 3-inch square pieces cooked fish (haddock or halibut)
16 tomato slices
24 cucumber slices
8 or 16 pieces heart of palm
4 hard-boiled eggs
DRESSING
1 bottle tomato catsup
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
˝ cup white vinegar
3 Tbs. sugar
˝ cup onion, chopped finely
On a dinner plate: Arrange 1 BED OF LETTUCE. Place 3 Tbs. COOKED BLACK-EYED PEAS in center of plate. Place a 3-inch square piece COOKED FISH (haddock or halibut) on the peas. Surround with: 2 TOMATO SLICES overlapping 3 CUCUMBER SLICES, 1 or 2 PIECES HEART OF PALM and ˝ HARD-BOILED EGG. Mask the fish with the following dressing (enough for 8 portions): Combine: 1 bottle TOMATO CATSUP, 1 tsp. WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, ˝ cup WHITE VINEGAR, 3 Tbs. SUGAR and ˝ cup ONION, chopped finely. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Serves 8.
country : Senegal
course : appetizer
source : The African Cookbook / Bea Sandler