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Ben's snapper tagine with preserved lime and chickpeas

Name: Ben's snapper tagine with preserved lime and chickpeas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads; 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 4 coriander roots, plus leaves to garnish; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger; 400g can chopped tomatoes; Juice of 1 lime; 1 cup (250ml) chenin blanc or other dry white wine; 1 preserved lime or 1/2 preserved lemon, flesh discarded, skin finely chopped; 2 plate-sized pink snapper, cleaned; 400g canned chickpeas, drained

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by Ben O'Donoghue and Mark Gardner

Oct 03, 2015

Pink spanner goes Middle Eastern, with chickpeas and preserved lemon.

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 coriander roots, plus leaves to garnish
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
400g can chopped tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup (250ml) chenin blanc or other dry white wine
1 preserved lime or 1/2 preserved lemon, flesh discarded, skin finely chopped
2 plate-sized pink snapper, cleaned
400g canned chickpeas, drained

Method

1.

Cover the saffron threads with 2 tablespoons of boiling water and soak for 10 minutes.
2.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Fry the onion for 5-6 minutes, stirring, until browned and crisp, then set aside to drain on paper towel.
3.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, coriander roots, cumin and ginger with a little salt to a fine paste. Combine in a bowl with undrained saffron, tomato, lime juice, wine and preserved lime or lemon. Pour this over your fish and allow to marinate for 10 minutes. In a flameproof tagine or large, deep, heavy-based frypan, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat. Add fish, marinade and chickpeas.
4.

Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, occasionally spooning the sauce over the fish, until the fish are cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the fried onion and coriander leaves.