Moroccan Style Fish Tagine

Chermoula

1. To prepare your Chermoula, combine the salt and garlic cloves in a pestle & mortar and mash until a smooth paste is formed.

2. Add the garlic paste and the rest of the ingredients into a medium bowl and combine well.

3. Spoon half of the Chermoula blend over your fish filets in a deep dish and massage to cover fish

4. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Tagine

1. (See notes first on tagine “seasoning” prep if this is the first time you’ve used your tagine & caution notes.)
   Prep the new potatoes by cleaning and cutting them into small quarters and prep all of your vegetables.

2. When your fish is done marinating, place the seasoned tagine on a diffuser over a burner on low heat with the olive oil, butter, and sliced onions making a bed on the bottom of the tagine.

3. Next, add the garlic and layer the peppers, potatoes, and the rest of your Chermoula on top.

4. Carefully add the fish fillets in the center of the tagine, layered on top of the vegetables.

5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, olives, and lemon juice/zest if not using preserved lemons. If you are using preserved lemons then cut them into quarters and add around the fish.

6. Next, add enough fish stock to just fill under the line of the tagine base.
   Please Note: the fish will release more liquid and may over flow as it starts to simmer. If this happens ladle out some of the liquid into a pan and add back over the fish before serving. (I'll be honest, I had to do this a few times during this process & removed about 1/2 C. of liquid for later.)

7. Let this simmer for 1 hour and check if fish is cooked. If not keep it going checking every 10 minutes. (At the hour mark, start your Basmati rice or Israeli couscous according to instructions in a separate pan.

8. At this point the fish should be cooked through.

9. Carefully remove the tagine from the heat and let cool/steam for about another 10- 15 minutes.

10. Serve in large bowls or low bowls on a bed of Israeli couscous or Basmati rice and serve with toasted flatbread or fresh pita for scooping up all those good juices!