It is no secret that my love for Moroccan food runs deep. Any time I have the opportunity to give a dish just the smallest flare of Moroccan character – be it a swirl of honey or handful of dried fruit – I seize the opportunity! In this recipe, we’re cooking Codfish with ginger, loads of garlic and a generous swirl of honey that elevates an old family recipe into something more North African in nature.

The original idea for this recipe started while I was thinking about my grandmother. Around the holidays, she would make salt cod (or baccala as we call it in my household). If you’re not familiar with salt cod, it is codfish that has been preserved in salt. The moisture has been removed and it can be stored at room temperate for long periods of time. Salt cod originated out of necessity as a way of preserving food long before modern refrigeration. With that said, salt cod has become an indispensable part of cuisine in many Mediterranean countries.

Salt cod takes some time to prepare as the fish needs to be soaked, rehydrated and rid of excess salt from the curing process. To properly rehydrate salt cod, the fish is generally soaked in cold water that is changed somewhat regularly. The process can take 24-48 hours depending on the salinity of the fish. My grandma, however, would put the stopper in the bottom of the kitchen sink, fill the sink and leave the salt cod to soak for days. The fish was then simmered in a tomato sauce with onions. Despite hygiene concerns from the soaking process, the dish was always delicious!

In remembering this old recipe of hers, I decided to create something similar at home with a nod toward her North African heritage. Because salt cod is not readily available in The States, we’re using fresh cod. Although if you have access to salt cod – by all means – use it here!

I cook this dish in my cast iron tagine. The conical lid helps to recirculate the moisture from the tomatoes creating the most fork tender cod. If you don’t have a tagine, consider investing in one. If you’re not interested investing in one, you can prepare this dish in a large skillet on the stovetop.

I like to serve this dish over couscous that has been cooked with butter, shallots and tossed with currants.

Making this but don’t know what to serve as a starter? Try your hand at making some Moroccan mezze with my Caramelized Fennel and Golden Raisin Salad.

Interested in learning more about Moroccan cuisine? Check out my post on How To Make Preserved Lemons At Home – it contains a list of wonderful cookbook resources.

Comment below with any questions. I would love to hear from you!

Bon Appétit!

Moroccan Inspired Cod & Tomato Tagine Recipe

Recipe by dinnerswithdaveCourse: MainCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

2

servings

Cooking time

40

minutes

In this recipe, we’re cooking Codfish with ginger, loads of garlic and a generous swirl of honey that elevates an old family recipe into special and North African in nature. This recipe is savory, slightly sweet and slightly spicy. If fresh tomatoes are out of season, use a 28oz can of whole plum tomatoes instead.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs organic tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped*

• 4T olive oil

• 1T finely minced garlic

• 1T grated ginger root

• 1/2t red chili flakes

• 1/2T honey, or more to taste

• 1 lb cod filets

• Salt, Pepper

Directions

• Warm olive oil in your tagine or skillet and add garlic, ginger and chili flakes. Sauté until fragrant but not browned.
• Add your tomatoes, season with salt and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes until your tomatoes are jammy and the majority of the liquid has been cooked out.
• Swirl in honey and stir to combine. Nestle your cod filets into the tomato sauce spooning sauce of the top of each fillet. Place the lid of your tagine or skillet on and cook gently for 10-12 minutes until your fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
• Taste for seasoning, adding more sweetness or salt if necessary. Serve over couscous, rice or quinoa.

Notes

• *If you’re using canned whole tomatoes, remove the individual tomatoes from their liquid and gently crush them with your hand into a bowl. Discard any liquid remaining in the can.