Hake Tagine with Chermoula

📝 Ingredients

• 900 g hake fillet (5 portions, about 180 g each)
• 1 bunch fresh coriander (about 30 g) + ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 20 g)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 lemons (1 juiced for the chermoula, 1 sliced)
• 2 tsp ground cumin + 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 4 tbsp olive oil (3 for the chermoula, 1 for the base of the dish)
• 1.2 kg potatoes (about 8 medium)
• 3 tomatoes (about 400 g)
• 2 peppers (1 red and 1 green, about 150 g each)
• 100 g pitted green olives
• 100 ml water
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Tagine or casserole dish with lid
• Hand blender or mini chopper
• Large deep dish
• Peeler
• Knife and chopping board
• Kitchen paper

📖 Steps

1. Make the chermoula: finely chop the coriander and parsley, tender stalks included, with a knife or in the chopper, along with the garlic. Mix in the deep dish with the juice of one lemon, the cumin, paprika, 3 tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt and some pepper.
2. Remove any bones from the hake and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Place it in the dish and coat it all over with half the chermoula, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge while you prepare the vegetables.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 5 mm slices. Slice the tomatoes, deseed the peppers and cut them into strips, then thinly slice the second lemon. Even slices will all cook at the same time.
4. Oil the base of the tagine with 1 tbsp oil. Spread the potatoes over it in overlapping layers, season lightly with salt and spread the rest of the chermoula on top. Cover with the tomatoes and peppers, then pour the water in around the edge.
5. Cover and cook for 25 min over a low heat, on a heat diffuser if using a clay tagine, until the potatoes start to soften: the tip of a knife should still meet a little resistance.
6. Lay the marinated hake portions on the vegetables, then add the olives and lemon slices. Cover again and continue cooking for 15 min over a low heat, without stirring, so the fish doesn't break up.
7. Check it's cooked: the hake should be white and opaque all the way through and flake easily, and the potatoes tender. If there's too much liquid left, cook for another 3 to 5 min without the lid. Serve straight from the tagine, spooned over with the cooking juices.