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North African Fish Stew
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London
North African Fish Stew
Building Feasts by Hanna Geller
Building Feasts by Hanna Geller
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Known by many as Chraymeh Fish, this dish is essentially the shakshuka of the North African fish world. It's a spiced tomato-based stew of either whole fish, fish fillets, or steaks cooked in a delicately flavored aromatic sauce.
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You Need

Serves 4-6

  • For the Sauce

    • 2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 3 red onions, chopped or thinly sliced into half moons
    • 2-3 red chillies, sliced
    • 4 Romano red peppers
    • 10 garlic cloves
    • 2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
    • 2 tsp sweet paprika
    • 100ml water
    • 200ml Pernod or aniseed flavored spirit (optional)
    • 2 tsp harissa paste
    • 800g chopped tomatoes
    • Salt and pepper
    • Good pinch of sugar

  • For the Fish

    • 6 hake fillets with skin, approximately 150g each
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • A large bunch of coriander, chopped
    • A good squeeze of lemon juice

    • How To

    1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan on a medium heat until lightly toasted and fragrant (only a minute or two). Crush in a mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin.
    2. Heat the olive oil gently in a large sauté pan. Add the chopped or sliced onions and cook for a few minutes until beginning to be translucent. Add the chilies and peppers and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.
    3. Add the garlic, cumin, Aleppo pepper flakes, and paprika and cook another 5 minutes or so until fragrant. Don’t forget to stir.
    4. Pour in the water and Pernod (if using) and allow the alcohol to evaporate on a high heat before turning it back down and stirring through the harissa.
    5. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, and a healthy dose of salt and pepper and simmer for 15-20 minutes until rich and thickened slightly. Add half of the chopped coriander and allow it to wilt into the sauce.
    6. When the sauce is bubbling and ready, add half of the chopped coriander and sear the hake, if using fillets with skin. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Heat a frying pan on a high heat with a little olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the fillets to the pan, skin side down, and cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes.
    7. Take the fish out of the frying pan and flip over so it is flesh side down into all the tomatoey goodness. Cook on a low to medium heat until the fish is cooked through (about 3-4 more minutes). If you are using skinned fillets, gently lower them into the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
    8. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle over the remaining fresh herbs. I serve this straight out of the pan with a good drizzle of tahini and any additional hot sauces required, mopped up with lots of bread or grain of choice.