Tagin Samak Egyptian Fish Stew Recipes

TAGIN SAMAK - EGYPTIAN FISH STEW

Steps:

• Quickly fry fish filets in some oil, than let drain on paper towel.
• Thinly slice onions.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a skillet, melt butter and fry raisins until soft.
• Remove from skillet, add sliced onions and cook until lightly browned.
• Add tomatoes, parsley and sugar, bring to a boil.
• Add cumin (more if desired), lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Put fish into baking dish, cover with tomato sauce and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
• In a dry skillet, toast the pine nuts.
• Divide fish onto platters and garnish with toasted pine nuts.

EGYPTIAN STYLE BAKED FISH (SANEYA SEMAAK)

Steps:

• Spray a glass baking dish with a bit of non-stick cooking spray, or rub lightly with Olive Oil.
• Wash the fish well.
• Slice the fish into medium size slices. Not too thick or thin, up to you.
• Lay the fish slices in baking dish.
• Sprinkle generously with cumin, salt, pepper, old bay spice and add a bit of garlic, keep the rest for top later. Squeeze the juice of lemon over this.
• Take remaining garlic, jalapeno, celery leaves and cilantro, add a half teaspoon of cumin and pound into a paste (using a mortar pestle or even a quick spin in food processor), does not have to be totally paste, but put together and blend well, spread this over fish. (You can squeeze lemon juice into this to make easier to blend).
• Add all chopped vegetables, peppers, onions.
• Squeeze the juice of orange into baking dish, top with pats of butter. You may add a bit more seasoning to top if you like.
• Cover with foil and bake in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
• Towards end of baking, you may uncover if you want to lessen juices or to brown, but just as good with juices, great over brown fish rice with onion. (see my recipes).
• ***LEFTOVER TIP*** If you make this dish and you have leftovers, the next day slice an onion, sauté it in butter, chop a small tomato, add to the onion and cook until a bit smooth, add leftover fish dish, and a few pats of butter...this way is even better than when made fresh the first time, it was for me anyway... ENJOY!

FRAGRANT FISH TAGINE

Steps:

• To make the chermoula, put the oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, three-quarters of the coriander and the salt in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, then blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Spoon half over the fish fillets and turn them over to coat both sides. Set aside to marinate.
• Heat the oil and fry the onions and garlic until softened and starting to colour, about 4-5 mins. Add the cumin and paprika and cook for 2 mins more. Add the tomatoes, stock, olives and lemon zest, stir in remaining chermoula and simmer, uncovered for 10 mins.
• Stir in the peppers and potatoes, cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potatoes are tender. If freezing, reserve half the sauce and chill before freezing.
• Stir the remaining coriander into the tagine, then arrange the fish fillets on top (if freezing a batch, reserve 4 portions of fish), and cook for 4-6 mins until the fish is just cooked. Serve with basmati rice, boiled with a little saffron if you like.

FISH STEW (MOROCCAN TAGINE)

Steps:

• Charmoula:.
• Blend the herbs together in a bowl with the garlic & vinegar until pasty. Stir in the lemon juice & spices.
• Tagine:.
• Cut the fish into 2 inch pieces. Rub each piece with the charmoula & then place into the bowl to marinate (at least 30 minutes).
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Slice the carrots in half down the middle. Peel the potatoes & slice thinly. Slice the tomatoes crosswise. Remove the seeds from the peppers & slice into large pieces. Set aside --
• Place the carrots across the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan (fat end, skinny end, fat end, etc). This becomes a sort of bed for the fish, keeping it from sticking to the bottom & assuring that there is always sauce underneath to give it flavor.
• Arrange the fish on top of the carrots. Dip the sliced potatoes into the charmoula & spread over the fish. Repeat with tomatoes & peppers. Sprinkle the garlic over the vegetables.
• Mix the remaining charmoula with the tomato paste, lemon juice, oil, & water. Pour this over the vegetables.
• Cover with aluminum foil & bake 35 minutes. Remove the cover. Raise the oven heat to the highest setting & move the pan to the uppermost shelf of the oven. Bake additional 20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked & a nice crust has formed over the vegetables.
• Serve warm, not hot.