Chermoula-A Fish Story

I don't post about fish very often. I adore fish and shellfish, but am inclined to make it simply- broiled, baked, or pan fried, with a little lemon juice and butter. Oysters raw, shrimp steamed or grilled in their shells, a whole broiled sea bream. There is so often not much to say about fixing it, I love to just let the taste shine through. A few boiled new potatoes on the side, and a hand full of something green, and I'm more than content.

More often than not, I order fish when I eat out, especially as restaurants seem to get fresh fish of kinds I can't often buy. I loved the mixed fish and shellfish fries of Andalucia, but I'm not at all inclined to fry fish at home. I am quite happy to have fried fish and chips out, or to take it home ready made, but there's nothing I'd like better than a plain broiled skate wing with butter and capers.

Recently, however, I have made the acquaintance of the Moroccan sauce/marinade called chermoula, and I have been enjoying preparing various sorts of fish with this embellishment ever since. I am no doubt a late comer to this party, as there seem to be quite a few recipes around, on the internet and elsewhere. I'm glad I finally got here. This is a keeper. I'm sure I will be making fish with chermoula years from now. This kind of head-over-heels love-at-first-bite doesn't happen to me all that often.

Though quite distinctive and spicy, chermoula seems to enhance, rather than mask the taste of many varied kinds of fish. I am particularly fond of the idea, which I got from the most recent Gourmet cookbook, of baked fish in chermoula atop a bed of braised fennel. I'll bet this sauce would be dandy over a whole small fried trout, but I'll leave that to the restaurant chefs. Frying is messy and stinky enough. Call me lazy; I just don't want to be cleaning up fish scented hot oil splats in my kitchen.

There are a number of recipes for chermoula, and they are not terribly different. Happily, it can be made with ingredients from the average urban supermarket-no anxious hunting for rarities required. Coriander, cilantro, pepper, paprika, saffron, red pepper flakes, parsley, and lemon or preserved lemon-nothing extraordinary, but unique as it comes together, and blissfully perfect with fish.This is the mix I'm currently using, and the recipe with fennel from which it comes. In the variant pictured, I used sea bass, which is pretty expensive stuff -a splurge for me. Any other beautiful fresh fish would be dandy, though different. I have yet to meet a fish that didn't like chermoula.

Comments

[Rebecca]

What a cute plate! Recipe sounds good, too. BTW, if you like fried fish, did you ever get into going to the church lenten fish fries? Some of them are really great. Last year we started going to a different one every Friday; I wrote about it on the blog.

[Brett]

I love chermoula, too. It seems to enhance every kind of fish, especially those that are baked or grilled.

[zp]

I like Claudia Roden's chermoula recipes a lot.

And, unrelated, have you had the honey they sell at the Greek Gourmet on Murray Ave? It's the best honey I've ever had, ever. And within walking distance . . .

[lindy]

Rebecca-thanks-It's from the Goodwill. The blog is a great excuse for buying such one off items. I like, but fear, your fish fry idea. I am already not svelte.

Brett-Utterly agree.

zp: For some reason, I didn't find this in the Roden book until I saw it elsewhere, and started comparing recipes. Haven't had the honey yet, but stop frequently at the Greek shop. It looks like the yummy Cypriot thyme stuff. I must use up the rest of my farm stand honey splurge from last year, and then I will try it. I was glad to see they have orange flower water and rose water.

A nice shop-Have you been to the Turkish one near Bartlett St. and Murray? Cool stuff, and the people are very sweet. Last time I was there I was offered a cup of tea.

[Julie]

I'm with you on the frying fish at home thing. Yikes!

I've never heard of chermoula but I'm with you on the chermoula and fish thing too. It sounds so good. I can't wait to try it.

[Baking Soda]

Sounds lovely. Going to try this one soon. We love fish and likewise I'd rather not fry at home. The kids love their "kibbeling", these are small pieces of cod, dipped in a spicy batter and deep fried. I buy those ready made...