Tunisian Fish Tagine Recipes

TUNISIAN FISH TAGINE

Steps:

• Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes over low heat. Grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder and set aside.
• Seed the chilies and cut into julienne strips.
• Place half of the olive oil in one large frypan and half in a nonstick pan with a lid. Put the potato into the nonstick pan. Add the tumeric and fry, tossing and turning the potatoes.
• At the same time in the other pan, fry the onion and celery, stirring occasionally. When the onion begins to soften, add the garlic, lime leaves, chiles, cumin, paprika and saffron. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then season lightly with salt and pepper and turn off the heat. Leave in the pan while the potatoes finish cooking.
• As soon as the potatoes are cooked, season the fish steaks with salt and pepper and put them on top of the potatoes. Spoon the onion mixture over and around the steaks and pour over the tomatoes. Bring to boil over a medium-high heat, immediately lower it and cover. Cook gently for 7-10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked. Taste and season.
• Serve in large warmed bowl, sprinkled with cilantro.

TUNISIAN TAGINE

Steps:

• Boil 2 eggs for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Peel and chop potatoes. Fry in olive oil with salt, turmeric and cumin.
• Fry onions lightly, then add ground meat , if you are using it, and some salt. Let fry for a few minutes, then add harissa to taste and some water. Let simmer until most of the liquid is gone. Add some of the parsley and let cool.
• Prepare the rest of the vegetables.
• Peel and chop the boiled eggs.
• Mix vegetables, meat, potatoes, boiled eggs and about 4 ounces of the cheese in a bowl. Add the six raw eggs, salt, turmeric, cumin and crushed coriander seeds (and more harissa if you wish).
• Pour vegetable oil in an oven proof dish and pour mixture into it. Place remaining cheese on top.
• Bake in 350 F oven (medium heat) for 20-30 minutes.
• Cut into pieces and serve.

FISH TAGINE

Steps:

• First you need to make a flavor base for the tagine: Cut a cross over the bottom nodule of the tomatoes and blanch in boiling water. Then peel skin away, cut into quarters, and seed.
• Burn the outside of the pepper over a naked gas flame. When the skin is black, place pepper into plastic bag and seal. When cool enough to handle, rub from the outside to remove all the pepper skin, split, and seed.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a casserole dish, or tagine. Chop the pepper and tomatoes and place in the dish, add the chopped onion and some garlic. Heat over a flame to cook slowly.
• Then start making the marinade for the fish: Crush the fresh cilantro and flat leaf parsley with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar. Place into a flat mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add turmeric, ground ginger, and black pepper.
• Prepare the fish by chopping the heads and tails off, slice diagonally across its body to allow the flavors to penetrate the fish. Add sea bass, red mullet, and squid to marinade. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the fish to the flavor base, big pieces first. Leave the squid for last minutes, as this does not take long to cook. Cook over the heat for 10 minutes. Then add the squid and shrimps and any leftover juices. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Serve with couscous and salad.