Comb o razor fish

Scientifically called Xyrichthys novacula, it belongs to the wrasse family and lives on sandy bottoms between 5 and 35 metres deep. It is especially active in summer, while it remains buried in the sand during the winter. It is organised in more or less numerous groups, formed by a male - which dominates a vast area of ??the seabed - and its harem of females. It can weigh up to 150 or 220 grams and has a very compressed shape - like a razor blade - which gives it its name. In addition, it has two small, sharp teeth, which it digs into very easily and which produce very painful bites. Thanks to the characteristic flavour of its pulp, white and extremely fine, it is one of the most appreciated spices in Menorcan cuisine. It is eaten fried.

This species is commonly called galán, comb fish or pejepeine. In the Balearic Islands they call it "raor". Both its scientific and popular names refer to its resemblance to a knife or razor. In Catalonia it is called lorito.

ON THE STOVE

Caldera de Raors

Ingredients: 4 large razor fish per person, 1 large white onion, 1 green pepper, 4 garlic cloves, 4 large tomatoes, garlic and parsley, a small glass of white wine, soup bread for Menorcan caldera, mineral water, olive oil and salt.

Preparation: In a frying pan, fry the scaled and gutted razoer fish, and once fried, remove them and set them aside.

We put eight tablespoons of the olive oil we used to fry the fish in a clay pot and make the sauce, starting with the finely chopped onion, followed by the green pepper and garlic, also finely chopped, and when they have confit, we add the peeled and crushed tomatoes and let them confit, stirring occasionally.

We must remember that every time we add an ingredient to the pot we must add a little salt. When the sauce has confit over a low heat for a quarter of an hour, we add the glass of white wine, turn up the heat and let the alcohol evaporate.

Next, we add a bowl of cistern or mineral water - never from the tap - and put the fish in the pot, being careful not to break them. We let it cook over a very low heat for about 10 minutes and then we can serve it.

We will serve it as follows: we put the dry bread soups (Menorcan bread for stew soups) on the plate, we put the fish on top and we scald everything with the broth.
We accompany it with very cold Menorcan white wine.