Description
A vibrant, flavorful Moroccan fish recipe featuring tender white fish poached in an aromatic tomato sauce, finished with a bright saffron-preserved lemon drizzle, ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 600 g firm white fish fillets (cod, halibut, snapper, or tilapia)
- 30 ml olive oil (for sauce base)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 15 ml sweet paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 2.5 ml ground turmeric
- 1 ml cayenne pepper (optional)
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 250 ml water or vegetable broth
- 0.5 preserved lemon rind, finely diced (for stew)
- 1 whole preserved lemon (rind and pulp), roughly chopped (for finishing sauce)
- 60 g green olives, pitted and halved
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
- pinch saffron threads (20-30 threads)
- 30 ml hot water (for blooming saffron)
- 1 clove garlic (for finishing sauce)
- 45 ml olive oil (for finishing sauce)
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 5 ml honey or agave syrup (optional)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep Fish and Aromatics: Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels; season lightly with salt and black pepper. Finely chop onion, mince garlic, and grate ginger; prepare preserved lemon (dicing the rind for the stew and roughly chopping the whole fruit for the sauce). Set aside the herbs and olives.
- Build Tomato Sauce Base: Heat 30 ml olive oil in a wide pan or pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the sweet paprika, ground cumin, ground turmeric, and cayenne pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds to toast the spices.
- Simmer the Stew: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and water (or vegetable broth). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Use this time to prepare the finishing sauce ingredients.
- Prepare Saffron-Preserved Lemon Sauce: While the tomato sauce simmers, bloom the saffron threads in 30 ml hot water in a small bowl for 5 minutes. In a food processor or blender, combine the roughly chopped whole preserved lemon (rind and pulp), 1 clove garlic, bloomed saffron (with soaking water), 45 ml olive oil, lemon juice, and honey (if using). Process until very smooth and creamy, then stir in a portion of the fresh chopped cilantro.
- Poach the Fish: Gently nestle the seasoned fish fillets into the simmering tomato sauce. Scatter the finely diced preserved lemon rind and halved green olives around the fish. Cover the pan and continue cooking on low heat for 8–12 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the remaining fresh cilantro and parsley into the tomato sauce around the fish. Carefully transfer the fish fillets and generous portions of the rich, red tomato sauce to a serving platter. Generously drizzle the bright Saffron-Preserved Lemon Sauce over the top of each fillet; garnish with remaining fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Notes
Use firm white fish like cod or halibut; pat fish dry before seasoning. If you cannot find preserved lemon, substitute with the zest of one fresh lemon and 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Do not overcook the fish; it should flake easily with a fork. Serve with crusty bread for dipping to soak up the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet with sauce
- Calories: 320 calories
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg