Place the head and frame in a pot with bay, peppercorns and water. Bring just to a simmer, skim and cook gently for 25 minutes without a hard boil.
Strain through a fine sieve into a clean container, taking care to remove every bone. Discard the strained bones, bay and peppercorns.
Warm the oil in a clean pot. Soften onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes. Add potato and the strained stock. Simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Follow the bones to lift two intact fillets from a round fish, then check carefully for the small bones left behind.
The thickest flesh reaches 145°F, measured away from bone, and separates easily. Remove bones carefully when serving.
Stir in parsley and dill and serve with lemon. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours or 1 hour if the surroundings exceed 90°F.
Cooking guidance
Use a very fresh sea bass head and frame with the gills removed. Strain the stock carefully and check the fillets for pin bones before cooking.
Slow-simmered beef-bone broth made silky with yogurt, egg yolk and lemon, with garlic and a light dried-mint finish. This terbiyeli version turns homemade beef-bone broth into a smooth, lightly tangy soup. A terbiye is the whisked yogurt, egg-yolk and lemon mixture added gradually to the hot broth; a little flour helps it hold together.
Tiny rice-and-lamb balls, chickpeas and tender lamb in a yogurt broth finished with mint butter. Gaziantep yuvalama is a substantial celebratory dish, often described locally as a meal rather than an everyday soup. This home adaptation uses rice flour for the small balls; traditional preparations may grind soaked rice with meat.
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Shredded lamb and rice in a hot garlic-and-red-pepper broth inspired by Gaziantep’s cuisine. The home method uses a regular saucepan and avoids the dramatic flame of specialist beyran service. Longer professional cooking and individual copper-pan assembly give a different result.