Tunisian Harissa-Spiced Grilled Fish

About This Recipe

Tunisian Harissa-Spiced Grilled Fish is a real, traditional Tunisian dish. Whole fish marinated in a fiery harissa, garlic and lemon paste, grilled until charred and smoky, a coastal Tunisian favorite.\n\nTunisia's long Mediterranean coastline has made grilled fish a staple, and marinating it in harissa reflects the country's deep culinary reliance on this fiery red chile paste to season nearly everything from meat to vegetables.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Tunisian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4whole small fish (sea bream or mackerel)(cleaned and scaled)
• 3 tbspharissa paste
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1 tspground caraway
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1lemon(cut into wedges, to serve)
• 2 tbspchopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Whisk together harissa, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, caraway and salt into a thick paste.

2. 2

   Score and marinate

   Score the fish two or three times on each side, then rub the harissa marinade all over and inside the cavity. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Heat the grill

   Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

4. 4

   Grill the fish

   Grill the fish for about 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the skin is charred and blistered and the flesh flakes easily.

5. 5

   Rest

   Let the fish rest for a couple of minutes.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot with lemon wedges and a scatter of fresh parsley.

Variations

• •

  Use a whole larger fish like sea bass for a shareable, family-style presentation, adjusting grilling time accordingly.

• •

  Add a stuffing of preserved lemon and herbs inside the fish cavity for extra flavor.

• •

  Grill vegetables like bell peppers and zucchini alongside for a complete meal.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions