West Africa · Side
Roff (Spiced Herb, Garlic, and Chili Stuffing Paste)
An herbaceous, garlicky, fiery Wolof stuffing paste pressed deep into fish flesh before braising or grilling.
The story
A hallmark of Wolof coastal culinary artistry, Roff is the flavor engine behind Senegal's national dish, Thiéboudienne Penda Mbaye, as well as stuffed grilled fish (Poisson Farci). It is freshly pounded in a heavy pestle and mortar right before cooking to ensure maximum volatile aromatics infuse the protein. The stuffing technique serves a dual mechanical purpose: keeping the thick fillets of lean Atlantic fish exceptionally moist while flavoring them to the bone.
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