Moroccan Fish Tagine

It's interesting to compare these two recipes - first one from Mourad Mazouz the Moroccan owner of the excellent Momo restaurant in London and the second by the excellent fish chef Rick Stein (as seen on his show Fruits of the Sea)

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FISH TAGINE - Mourad Mazouz
Serves 4

2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin, plus extra
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large preserved lemon, or two small ones, halved
1 tbsp lemon juice
4x250g fish steaks (sea bass, cod or haddock), cut across the fish
3 carrots, sliced
4 potatoes, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 green peppers, deseeded and sliced
2 cabbage leaves

* Mix together the coriander, garlic, spices, oil, preserved lemon and lemon juice. Place the fish in a shallow bowl and pour over the marinade. Leave in the fridge for 2 hours.
* Blanch the carrot and potato slices in boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain.
* Remove the fish from the marinade (keep this), scraping off any bits.
* Place the carrot pieces on the bottom of a tagine pot or lidded casserole, place the fish on top, then tuck the potato slices around and on top of it. Do the same with the tomatoes and peppers. Add the lemon from the marinade, sprinkle with a good pinch more of cumin, then place the cabbage leaves over the top. Add 100ml of water to the marinade and pour into the pot.
* Cover and cook gently on the hob for 25-30 minutes.

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FISH TAGINE - Rick Stein

Preparation time less than 30 mins / Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour / Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
¼ preserved lemon, finely chopped
4 plum tomatoes, sliced
600ml/1 pint fish stock
8 small new potatoes, cut lengthways into quarters
2 red mullet, ocean perch or grey mullet, weighing about 450g/1lb each, filleted
8 black olives, halved
1 tsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the charmoula:
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ red finger chilli, seeded and chopped roughly
½ tsp saffron strands
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice only
1½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt

* For the charmoula, put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
* Heat the oil in a large pan, add the celery, carrot and onion and fry gently for 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
* Add half the chopped preserved lemon, 2 tbsp of the charmoula, the tomatoes and the stock.
* Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, then add the potatoes. Simmer for 6-8 minutes until tender.
* Preheat the grill to high. Brush the fillets of fish with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and then cut each diagonally in half.
* Grill, skin-side up, for about 6 minutes.
* Stir the olives, the rest of the charmoula and the remaining preserved lemon into the sauce and check the seasoning.
* Put the fish in four warmed soup bowls, spoon over the sauce and sprinkle with the chopped coriander and mint.

Note: To make Moroccan preserved lemons, take 4-5 lemons, wash well and cut into 4, but not all the way through. Sprinkle coarse salt into the cuts, close up the lemons and put them in a large jar. Press down, put a weight on top and close the jar. In a few days sufficient juices should be released to cover the lemons. If not, add more lemon juice. Leave for a month before using and use only the skin, discarding the flesh.