Moroccan Fish Stew

Who says you can’t enjoy a steaming bowl of stew during the warm summer days? Well definitely not the Moroccan people.I’ve never been to Morocco,but I can tell you- this is one of my favourite cuisines. It’s so aromatic,colorful,full of flavour and above all so healthy ,that don’t be surprised if I publish one Moroccan recipe every week.

So lets get straight to the point-this is not your typical heavy winter stew, but it fills the belly and soothes the soul nonetheless. It’s full of all things seafood, which is a nice alternative to meaty stews (and my preference, anyway.) Chickpeas add extra heartiness, and fresh fennel brings an unexpected but complimentary flavor. It’s fiery spice will warm you to the core, but a squeeze of lemon and a smattering of cilantro keep it bright and fresh at the same time.

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned if tomatoes are out of season)
3/4 cup water
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thinly (about 6oz sliced)
3/4 cup drained, rinsed chickpeas (about 1/2 of a 15oz can)
1 cod(haddock,) filet, about 5 oz, cut in half and skin off
10 large mussels, scrubbed and debearded
4 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep saute pan. Cook the garlic and crushed red pepper for about 1 minute, until light golden and fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute more.

Add the crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Add the fish, fennel and chickpeas, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes. Add the mussels and shrimp, return the cover, and cook for about 3 more minutes, until the mussels have opened and the shrimp are just opaque.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and coriander leaves.

بالهنا و الشفاء! or in other words Bon appétit!

 

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