Moroccan Baked Fish with Chermoula

About This Recipe

Chermoula is the marinade at the heart of much Moroccan seafood cookery, a bold blend of cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika and lemon that both flavors and lightly cures the fish before it goes into the oven. Here, whole fish fillets are coated generously in chermoula and laid over a bed of sliced bell peppers, tomato and onion, so the vegetables braise in the same fragrant, oily juices that drip down as the fish roasts. The dish comes together quickly for a weeknight but tastes like considerably more effort, the chermoula doing most of the flavor work while the oven handles the rest, finishing with tender fish and soft, saucy vegetables underneath.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4white fish fillets(such as cod or hake)
• 1 cupfresh cilantro(chopped, for chermoula)
• 1/4 cupfresh parsley(chopped, for chermoula)
• 4 clovesgarlic(for chermoula)
• 1 tspground cumin(for chermoula)
• 1 tsppaprika(for chermoula)
• 1/4 tspcayenne pepper(for chermoula)
• 1/4 cupolive oil(for chermoula)
• 3 tbsplemon juice(for chermoula)
• 1 tspsalt(for chermoula)
• 2bell peppers(sliced)
• 2tomatoes(sliced)
• 1onion(sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the chermoula

   Blend cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, olive oil, lemon juice and salt into a smooth, vibrant marinade.

2. 2

   Marinate the fish

   Coat the fish fillets generously in half the chermoula and let sit 15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

3. 3

   Layer the vegetables

   Toss sliced peppers, tomato and onion with the remaining chermoula and spread in a baking dish.

4. 4

   Top with fish

   Lay the marinated fish fillets over the vegetables.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake at 200C/400F for 20-25 minutes until the fish flakes easily and the vegetables are soft.

   Check the fish a few minutes early if the fillets are thin — overcooked fish turns dry quickly.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot with the vegetables and pan juices spooned over, alongside crusty bread or rice.

Variations

• •

  Chermoula works equally well with grilled sardines, a very traditional Moroccan pairing.

• •

  Add pitted green olives and preserved lemon slices to the vegetable layer for extra Moroccan flavor.

• •

  A spicier version increases the cayenne or adds a spoonful of harissa to the chermoula.

Storage

Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days, though the fish texture softens on reheating — warm gently covered in a low oven.

Frequently Asked Questions