Moroccan Fish Tagine with Chermoula

1Preparation

1. Mix all the chermoula ingredients in a bowl into a thick green sauce.
2. Coat the fish pieces with half of the chermoula and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Toss the potato slices and pepper strips with the remaining chermoula.

2Cooking

1. Oil the base of a wide pot, lay the potatoes in a layer, then the peppers and tomatoes, add the water, cover and cook until the potatoes start to soften.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 20 min timer
2. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables, scatter over the olives and preserved lemon peel, cover and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 18 min timer

3Serving

1. Gently transfer the vegetables and then the fish to a serving plate with their juices.
2. Serve with Moroccan bread and lemon wedges.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: stirring the fish while it cooks, which breaks it up. Don't turn it — gently shake the pot if needed.
• Slice the potatoes very thinly so they cook in the same time as the fish.
• Don't leave the fish in the chermoula for more than 2 hours — the lemon starts to 'cook' the flesh.

🔁 Substitutions

• Bone-in fish steaks work too; increase the weight to about 1.2 kg.