Moroccan Fish Tagine

Ingredients

Moroccan tagines are the ultimate comfort food. Warm and hearty, they inspire a gastronomic trip to the exotic landscapes of Morocco. Spices take centre stage, this one in particular highlights the beauty of ras el hanout. Firm, white fish fillets such as snapper, barramundi or flathead work best for this recipe. Accompany with couscous or crusty bread for dipping into the sauce.

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves divided (3 minced, 3 thinly sliced)
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 red capsicum, cored and sliced
1 x 400 g chickpeas drained and rinsed
125mL water
250mL fish or chicken stock
Handful roughly chopped coriander
2 tsp ras el hanout divided
600g barramundi cut into large pieces
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 lemon juiced, plus extra wedges to serve
1 preserved lemon, thinly sliced
60 g pitted green olives

Notes:

If you can't get your hands on ras El hanout, you can find our recipe online.
Any firm, white fish will work well in this recipe.

Method

In a large tagine or heavy-based skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over a medium heat. Add the minced garlic, cooking until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and diced tomatoes until they soften.

Season with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of Ras El Hanout, heating until fragrant. Incorporate the sliced red capsicum and chickpeas. Pour in the water and stock, then add half the chopped coriander. Bring to a simmer, cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes.

Combine the rest of the Ras El Hanout, paprika and cumin in a bowl. Season the fish pieces with the mixture, ensuring to rub the mix into the fish. Add a bit of salt and a drizzle of olive oil to ensure the mixture works its way into the pieces.

Place the fish pieces on top of the vegetable mixture in the tagine. Add the preserved lemon slices and drizzle with lemon juice. Scatter the olives around the fish, cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.

Once done, sprinkle the remaining coriander over the fish and serve hot directly from the tagine. Accompany with couscous or crusty bread for dipping into the sauce. Lemon wedges can be provided for an extra hit of freshness.

Notes:
If you are using a tagine, it is important to warm it before starting. Set it on a low heat until warm, then you can increase the temperature to a medium heat. If you aren't using a tagine, you can skip this step.
The key to this dish is the layers of flavours. Build the flavour base first with the oil and garlic, then the spices, tomatoes and so on.