Tangine of Talapia
Back in late fall I visited a lovely shop and spent a little time scouring the shelves in search of something new and different to add to my collection of cookware. The idea was to find a new piece of cookware that would introduce a new element to my usual repertoire of tasty dishes.
And this brings me to my new best friend, the Tagine. While scouring the shelves at my local Fair Trade Winds (they have three locations), www.fairtradewinds.com, I decided to add this lovely piece of cookware to my kitchen line-up. The piece I selected was actually manufactured in South America and the price point makes it very affordable.
Tagines are cooking vessels that are commonly found in countries in Northern Africa such as Morocco and Algiers. The simple design consists of a plate-like bottom and a conical-shaped lid. Once the food is prepared, it can also function as a serving platter, which means less clean up.
This month’s eating recipe is a variation of one from African and Middle Eastern Cookbook by Josephine Bacon and Jenni Fleetwood. I made some changes to make it my own but the original is still a very good recipe. I also make the Chermoula (lemon garlic paste for seasoning) using my mini food processor rather than the mortar pestle which works just as well. And for the fish I use Talapia rather than the Monkfish.
So pack your bags we are going to Morocco. How good is that...
Tangine of Talapia
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. Talapia, cut into chunks
- 12 new potatoes, scrubbed, scrape and peeled
- 4 tbs. Olive Oil
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 20 cherry tomatoes
- 2 green (bell) peppers, grilled until black, seeded and cut into strips
- 1 dozen Kalamata olives
- ½ cup water
Chermoula
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- Small bunch cilantro
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Technique:
For the chermoula — Place ingredients, except for the olive oil into food processor and process until well-blended into a smooth paste. Add the oil to emulsify.
Reserve a little chermoula for cooking, then, rub the rest on the fish. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Par- boil potatoes for about 10 minutes. Drain and cut in half lengthways. Heat olive oil in a heavy pan and stir in the garlic. When garlic begins to color slightly, add tomatoes and cook until softened.
Add peppers to the tomatoes and garlic and then add the reserved chermoula. Season to taste.
Spread the potatoes over the base of a tagine, or cast iron skillet. Spoon ¾ of the tomato and pepper mixture over the potatoes and place the fish chunks on top along with the marinade.
Spoon the rest of the tomato and pepper mixture on top of the fish and add the olives. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the dish and add the water.
Heat until simmering, cover the Tagine or pan with a lid and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Serve with fresh, warm crusty bread.
