Moroccan Fish Tagine Recipe

Ingredients

1 onion
1 fennel bulb
2 tomatoes
1 garlic clove
A handful of coriander
1 lemon
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cumin
1 cinnamon stick
80g black olives
1 vegetable stock cube
150g wholewheat couscous
340g fish pie mix
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
400ml + 300ml boiling water

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 25 mins

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Method

1. Peel and finely chop the onion. Halve the fennel bulb. Slice off the dry tips and set aside any soft fronds for later. Slice it into 1cm-thick fingers, then finely chop it. Put a large pan over a medium heat and let it warm for 1 min, then add the chopped veg with 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, till the veg have softened a little.

2. While the veg sweat, finely chop the tomatoes. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Finely chop the coriander stalks, putting the leaves to one side for later. Halve the lemon and slice one half in half again to make wedges.

3. Stir the tomatoes into the veg and let them cook down for 8 mins, stirring occasionally, till the tomatoes are soft, pulpy and has a rich red colour.

4. Add the garlic and coriander stalks to the pan. Measure out 1 tsp turmeric and ½ tsp each ground ginger and cumin. Add them with the cinnamon stick. Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedges into the pan and then drop them in to the pan. Give everything a good stir to mix.

5. Add the olives and crumble in the stock cube. Pour in 400ml boiling water and stir to mix well. Pop a lid on the pan and simmer for 5 mins to mingle all the flavours.

6. While the tagine stock simmers, tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl. Pour in 300ml boiling water. Pop a plate over the bowl to cover it (or use cling film) and leave it to stand for 5 mins. The couscous will soak up the water.

7. Carefully add the fish pie mix to the pan, then pop the lid back on and simmer for 5 mins till the fish is cooked. The white fish will be opaque and any salmon will be a dark pink. They will flake easily if pressed with a fork.

8. Taste the tagine and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Fluff the couscous up with a fork and heap it into 2 warm bowls. Ladle the tagine over the top, discarding the lemon wedges and cinnamon stick. Garnish with the coriander leaves and fennel fronds and serve with the remaining lemon wedges for squeezing.