Moroccan Fish Tagine

We're breaking out the tagine; let's create this ultra-healthy, ultra-luxe fish tagine recipe. It's exactly what to serve when you want to impress new in-laws, work friends, or just basically anyone.

It's a tradition in my house, and I know it'll find a happy home in yours, too!

What is a Tagine?

A tagine is a conical earthenware pot, and the dish prepared in the tagine pot shares the same name as it's cooking vessel. It's kind of funny how that worked out. Moroccans kept it simple; let's just call everything to do with this pot a tagine.

(Now, if only they could teach the French how to simplify the names of their recipes.)

The tagine pot is wide and shallow; its cover has a conical shape and creates a seal on the base. Together, the two pieces make a kind of clay oven that was traditionally placed on an open fire for cooking.

A tagine is very similar to the dutch oven in the way your food cooks in them. The cone shape allows for steam to rise up and then condenses and fall back down into the pot. Therefore, this acts as a natural and continuous basting of the food being cooked. Perfectly moist and buttery meats with little to no fuss. Yes, please!

Traditionally tagines were made of earthenware and were not glazed.

Nowadays, however, tagines are made of different types of materials, glazed and elegantly decorated. As a result, you can purchase different types of tagines; some of them are for cooking, and others for serving ⏤ the highly decorated tagines are usually for serving.

When purchasing a tagine, you have to decide whether you want to use it for serving food or cooking.

Moroccan Fish Tagine Recipe Ingredients

A quick trip to the grocery store, and you've got all the goods to make what promises to be the best fish tagine you've ever tasted. Take a screenshot of this list, and you're good to go:

• Fish: any white flesh firm fish will work with this recipe.
• Produce: onions; yellow, red, orange, green bell peppers; and tomatoes. Also, there's a whole head of garlic! And 1 bunch of cilantro. That's it. Our tagine is definitely a veggie-heavy dish.
• Pantry & spice rack: cumin, crushed coriander seeds, turmeric, smoked paprika, bouillon powder and pepper. Two heaping spoons of harissa and a can of chickpeas.

How to Get this On Your Table in 30 minutes!

That's right! 30 minutes of cooking, and you're done. Dinner is served, and you're on your way to becoming a Mediterranean chef.

• Warm-up your Tagine/Dutch oven. It's essential to heat your tagine before you start cooking.
• Start with your onions & peppers. Start with the onions and as soon as they become soft, add the peppers.
• Then spices, tomatoes, garlic. Coat the peppers with the spices and add the tomatoes and garlic.
• Toss in the chickpeas and water. This is where the real magic starts; simmer for 10 minutes. Then taste the sauce.
• Cilantro & frozen fish is a must! Don't thaw your fish, add it into the tagine frozen; you want all that yummy juice from the fish to add to the liquid of the tagine. NOTE: If cilantro tastes like soap to you, swap for parsley.
• Serve. Couscous or bread, it's your choice, that is of course if you want to keep the Moroccan theme going.

What to Serve with a Moroccan Fish Tagine

When you make this tagine, it's pretty much the star of the mealtime show, which is precisely as it should be. Still, there are a few things I've found that complement the meal in the true Moroccan fashion:

• Briny olives & pickles. Keep it Moroccan and opt for big green olives and pickled vegetables. The briny flavours are a nice compliment to the meal.
• Loaves of sourdough bread. Place them in the middle of the table and tear off chunks as you eat. Dip, drench and finally sweep it across a seemingly empty bowl to sop up every last drop of this delicious tagine.
• Simple side salad. Consider serving the salad after the meal as a bright palate-cleanser. Try fresh anise with a little lemon or a simple herb salad with a little splash of vinegar and salt.

Frequently Asked Questions.

I hate fish, what can I use instead? 

Unfortunately, you can't substitute fish in a fish tagine and still end up having fish tagine, haha! However, this dish is so yummy, and with the chickpeas, it can make a pretty tasty vegan tagine.

I don't have a tagine, how can I make this? 

You don't have to have a tagine to make this dish. You can use an 8 qt dutch oven, a braiser or a large sauté pan. The most important thing to keep in mind is to have a large flat bottom. If you use a 6 qt pot, you'll end up with too much liquid and, to be honest, a complete mess in a pot.

What can I use instead of cilantro? 

Parsley is a great swap for cilantro. I know this herb has an awful taste for some people, but if it doesn't taste like soap to you, it's a must-have in the recipe.

What is harissa?

Harissa is a North African condiment made from cayenne peppers, olive oil, garlic and spices. Different brands have different levels of heat. I love the traditional harissa from Tunisia or Libya, it is the hottest version.

If you have harissa from these countries, you may want to reduce the amount of harissa in this recipe for the sake of your tongue. Check the ingredients label; it will give you an idea of how hot it's going to be. Mild harissa will often have a mix of bell peppers in the ingredients.

For More Mediterranean Dinner Ideas Check These Out 

Mediterranean Lamb Bake

Moroccan Shrimp pasta

Chicken and Eggplant Tagine

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