A Taste of Morocco (Tagine)

We went to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and bought a beautiful piece of fresh Halibut from J & P West Coast Fish. They sell fresh fish from their truck - that kind of looks like a typical Los Angeles roach truck (for those of you not from LA – there is some seriously good food available from these trucks). Their truck has been modified to sell fish and has lots of ice to keep the fish fresh. The fish is better than most of the fish you would get in a market. It is straight from the boat to San Pedro to the truck to us!

We have been on a bit of a Moroccan quest and found a recipe for a recipe for Moroccan Fish Tagine with Tomato, Peppers, and Preserved Lemons in Paula Wolfert’s World of Food Cookbook. This is a fish dish we will definitely make again! It is great. I usually don’t like leftover fish, but this dish re-heats well in the microwave. Part of the reason it is so good has to be the quality of the fish. It was very firm and cooked perfectly!

Cathy made our favorite Couscous from Tunisia to go with it.

Two days later Kashmera and Krushna stopped by to say goodbye (they were returning to India). We offered them some leftover Tagine but they demurred saying they had a big lunch and had to get on a plane. We let them smell the tagine and they decided they wanted some. It was cute they kept eating it. I think we will continue to expand their food horizons.

Moroccan Fish Tagine with Tomato, Peppers, and Preserved Lemons
From Paula Wolfert’s World of Food Cookbook

SERVES 4

A popular Moroccan green-hued sauce used in fish stews, or tagines, is called charmoula, a balanced combination of quantities of flat-leaf parsley and fresh coriander, oil, cumin, paprika, and hot pepper. I love it for its powerful taste and the way it permeates the delicate flavor of fish, and in this dish especially it makes marvelous eating. You can make it ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for 1 or 2 days.

In Morocco fish stews are always cooked in earthenware, which is especially helpful when the stew contains tomatoes. (Tin-lined copperware and aluminum definitely alter flavor.) In this Moroccan fish tagine, the rich tastes of tomatoes, green peppers, and hot peppers are offset by the tart, briny flavor of preserved lemons. Traditionally this tagine would contain an entire fish with head intact, but I have found it easier to make with thick fillets. Serve the fish directly from the baking dish. Pass slices of anise-flavored Moroccan bread, and accompany with a light, dry red or white wine.

CHARMOULA
1 large garlic clove, crushed with 2
teaspoons salt in a blender or mortar
until smooth
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian fiat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red-pepper flakes, seeds removed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
4 thick lean fish fillets or slices, about 8 ounces each: monkfish, red snapper, sea bass, tilefish, or other ocean fish
1 large carrot, sliced very thin
1 pound red, ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced thin
small green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced thin
1 small green or red hot pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced thin
Sea salt and pepper
2 wedges of Preserved Lemons, rinsed and drained, pulp discarded, peel sliced thin
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sprigs of fresh coriander, for garnish

Early in the day, or the day before, make the charmoula: In a blender, combine the garlic, spices, herbs, and pepper flakes. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a small saucepan and heat it slowly, stirring, until hot and aromatic, about 30 seconds; do not boil. Let it cool, then divide the spice mixture, or charmoula, in half.

Rinse the fish and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub one portion of the spice mixture into the fish and let it stand at least 1 hour, or overnight. Add 1/2 cup of hot water to the remaining spice mixture, cover, and refrigerate separately. (The recipe can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)

About 1 1/2 hours before serving, preheat the oven to 300° F. Spread 2 tablespoons of reserved charmoula over the bottom of a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking-serving dish (about 10 inches in diameter). Scatter the carrots on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with a little charmoula. Add half the tomatoes, bell peppers, and chili pepper; sprinkle with a little charmoula. Lay the fish over the vegetables and cover with the preserved lemon peel and the remaining tomatoes and peppers in a decorative pattern. Spread the remaining charmoula over all. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Pour off the liquid from the fish into a small non-corrodible saucepan. Bring it to a boil over moderately high heat, and boil until it is reduced to 1/2 cup of thick liquid. Pour it back over the fish. (The dish can be prepared up to 1 hour ahead to this point.)

Raise the oven temperature to 500° F. Uncover the baking dish, baste with the pan juices, and bake in the top third of the oven for 10 minutes, or until a nice crust has formed over the vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with sprigs of coriander. Serve warm.