Tagine de Poisson
This tagine de poisson is bright, savory, and deeply aromatic, with tender fish nestled over silky potatoes, tomato, olives, and preserved lemon. The chermoula brings freshness and warmth from herbs, cumin, paprika, garlic, and saffron, creating a sauce that is vivid and elegant.
Ingredients
Chermoula
- 15 gflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 15 gcilantro, finely chopped
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 1/2 tspground coriander
- 1/8 tspcayenne pepper
- 1 pinchsaffron threads
- 15 mllemon juice
- 30 mlolive oil
- 1/2 tspfine salt
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
Tagine base
- 320 gfirm white fish fillets, skinless, cut into 4 pieces
- 1/2 wholepreserved lemon, pulp removed, peel thinly sliced
- 60 ggreen olives, pitted
- 1 medium (120 g)ripe tomato, grated
- 180 gpotato, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small (80 g)onion, thinly sliced
- 15 mlolive oil
- 80 mlwater
- 1/4 tspfine salt
- 1/8 tspblack pepper
To finish
- 1 tbspcilantro leaves
- 2lemon wedges
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C, or set a tagine or deep skillet over medium-low heat if cooking on the stovetop. In a bowl, mix the parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, saffron, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper into a loose chermoula. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the saffron blooms and the garlic softens.
- 2
Pat the fish dry, then coat it with about two-thirds of the chermoula. Leave to marinate while you assemble the base; even 10 minutes adds plenty of flavor without curing the fish too much.
- 3
In the base of the tagine, baking dish, or deep skillet, spread the sliced onion and potato. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, then spoon over the grated tomato, preserved lemon, olives, water, and olive oil. Toss lightly so the potatoes are moistened, then spread into an even layer for steady cooking.
- 4
Arrange the marinated fish pieces over the vegetables and spread the remaining chermoula on top. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or cook covered on the stovetop over low heat for about 20-22 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the fish flakes easily at the thickest part. If needed, uncover for the last 3 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce.
- 5
Remove from the heat and let the tagine rest for 5 minutes; this helps the fish stay juicy and lets the sauce settle. Scatter with cilantro leaves and serve directly from the dish with lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Cod, hake, halibut, haddock, or sea bream work well; choose a firm fish that will hold its shape during gentle cooking.
- •Slice the potatoes very thinly, about 2-3 mm, so they cook through within the time limit.
- •If your preserved lemon is very salty, briefly rinse the peel before slicing.
- •Serve with khobz, couscous, or plain rice to catch the fragrant sauce.
Background
Fish tagines are a classic part of Morocco’s coastal cooking, especially in cities influenced by Atlantic and Mediterranean seafood traditions. Chermoula, a herb-and-spice marinade used across North Africa, gives the dish its signature aroma, while preserved lemon and olives reflect hallmark Moroccan flavor pairings.
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