Monkfish Chermoula

Chermoula is a blend of spices and herbs with garlic, olive oil and lemon. The ingredients vary but always contain the last three ingredients. This mixture is most commonly prepared with fish and has become one of the most popular dishes in trendy Moroccan restaurants.

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6 Portions
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Prep: 30 minutes plus 30 minutes marinating
Cook: 5 - 8 Minutes

Ingredients

Chermoula

  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2-3 large red chillies (dependent on taste, deseeded and roughly chopped)
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • moldan salt

Monkfish

  • 900g - 1kg monkfish fillet, sliced into 3-5cm pieces
  • 6 tbsp chermoula
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 200ml fish stock or water
  • generous pinch of saffron threads
  • 200ml white wine
  • 60g sultanas
  • 60g pine nuts
  • zest of 1/4 lemon
  • moldan salt

To Serve

  • couscous (see recipe) or
  • pilau rice (see recipe) or boiled rice

Method

  1. Chermoula: Place all the ingredients in a food processor blend it or grind it in a mortar and pestle so that you have a slightly course puree. The chermoula will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.
  2. Monkfish: Coat the monkfish in the chermoula and leave it to marinate for 30 minutes.
  3. Bring the stock or water to the boil, remove it from the heat and add the sultanas and saffron to the liquid.
  4. Place the olive oil in a deep pan over a moderate high heat. Place the monkfish with the marinade in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes so that the fish lightly coloured. Pour the wine over the fish and bring it to a strong simmer for 1 minute. Add the saffron liquid with the sultanas, pine nuts and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a strong simmer then reduce it to slow simmer for 5-8 minutes. Season to taste. Serve.
  5. To Serve: Serve the "Monkfish Chermoula" with couscous (see recipe) or pilau rice (see recipe) or boiled rice.