Moroccan Grilled Salmon ( Samak al Maghreb)

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 c plain Greek-style plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
dash of salt & pepper
4 (6oz.) skinless salmon fillets

1. In a food processor, place the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves, coriander, cumin and
salt and pepper and process until evenly combined.Pour the yogurt marinade into a
resealable plastic bag and place the salmon in the bag.Coat the salmon with the marinade
and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat grill.Lightly coat with some olive oil and place the salmon fillets on it.
Grill the fillets for about 5-6 minutes per side or until they begin to flake.

3. Remove salmon fillets from the grill and serve immediately.

Libyan Spicy Fish (Haraimi)

Yield:6 Servings
Ingredients:
6 cloves, peeled, crushed
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
salt, to taste
juice of 1 lemon
2 lbs. fillet of red snapper, grouper or cod
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato puree
2 tomatoes , roughly chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. caraway seeds

1. Mix together the crushed garlic, cumin, salt and lemon in a small mixing bowl.Pour into a
resealable plastic bag and place the fish fillets in it .Shake the bag until the fish fillets are
evenly coated.Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion, tomato puree,
chili powder, turmeric and caraway seeds.Stir for about 5-6 minutes .Add 1 cup of water
then add the fish to the pan along with the marinade.Cover and cook fish for an additional 10
to 12 minutes or until fish begins to flake.

3. Remove fish from pan and serve immediately.

Moroccan Fish Bastilla (Bastila maal Samak)

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 c cilantro, finely chopped
1 c parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. any firm white fish fillets(pollock, halibut, sole)
3 1/2 oz. soy vermicelli
6 Tbsp. butter
6 sheets filo pastry

1. Add the cilantro, parsley, garlic cloves, lemon juice, paprika, salt, cumin, red wine vinegar and olive oil to a food processor and mix till you have an evenly combined puree.Divide in half and set aside.

2. Place the fish fillets in a dish and evenly coat with half the cilantro-parsley puree.Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil.Add the vermicelli and turn off heat and remove from stove top.Drain and set aside.

4. In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and place the fish fillets in it.Cook fish for 7-8 minutes.Add the vermicelli to the skillet and continue cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes breaking the fish into pieces.

5. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.Preheat oven to 400F.

6. In a 9"pie dish, grease well with olive oil.Stack 3-4 filo sheets overlapping each other and brush with the melted butter.Add the fish/vermicelli mixture then top with the remaining cilantro-parsley puree to the pan and cover with remaining filo sheets making sure the top is fully covered.Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle some water on top.

7. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.Allow to slightly cool before serving.

Yemeni Fish (Samak al-Yamani)

Craving a bit of Yemeni home cooking but there isn't a Yemeni restaurant within a 5 mile radius??.This fish recipe is easy and quick to put together and is ready in under 30 minutes.Hamour fish is the best for this recipe but any firm fish like cod, halibut, or tuna will do.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs. cod, halibut, sole, or tuna fillets

1 1/2 Tbsp. Hawayij

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. turmeric

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

1. Heat the oil in large pan on medium-high heat.

2.Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry.In a medium bowl.combine the hawaji, salt, cumin,turmeric and black pepper.

3.Dip the fish fillets in the spice mixture,lightly coating both sides.

4. Place the fish fillets in the pan and cook over medium heat, turning over every few minutes till they begins to flake.Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Hamour Mahshi (Arabian-Style Stuffed Fish)

Hamour is a type of grouper that is commonly found in the waters of the Persian Gulf and is the fish of choice in a lot of gulf recipes.Unfortunately, it is only available in the Gulf countries and is quite expensive because of its future danger of extinction Banned Fish Traps Threaten Hamour. Here's a common recipe that is popular throughout the GCC countries,if you cannot find hamour you can replace it with sea bass or cod.

Yield:2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 hamour, cleaned and scaled

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 plus 1/2 tsp. turmeric

sea salt, to taste

3 garlic cloves,crushed

1/8 tsp. ginger,ground

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. black pepper

sea salt, to taste

1 3/4 oz. almonds, sliced

3/4oz. pine nuts (optional)

3/4 oz. walnuts,roughly chopped

3 Tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 small yellow onion, sliced

1.Preheat oven to 350F.

2.Oil an oven-proof baking dish with the olive oil and place fish in it. Rub 1 tsp. of the turmeric allover hamour and sprinkle it with salt and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, blend together the crushed garlic, ground ginger,cumin, and remaining turmeric,black pepper, and sea salt until it becomes a paste.

4. Add the almonds, pine nuts (if using),walnuts and cilantro and combine together until well blended.

5. Stuff the hamour with the nut stuffing and place some on top.Place the half the sliced onions inside the fish and the other half on top.Bake for 45-55 minutes.Serve with yellow or white rice.

Tajin Samak (Baked Fish with Bay Leaves)

Pic courtesy of Habeeb.com

The following recipe is popular throughout the Middle East.It is preferable to use whole fish but fillets work as well.

Yield:2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

1(3-4lbs.) whole fish such as red snapper,cod, or trout,gutted, rinsed

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves,mashed

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

4-5 bay leaves, crushed

salt & pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

1.Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Make about four incisions on the top of the fish an rub the olive oil and mashed garlic allover and inside the fish.

3.Put half the bay leaves and cumin seeds inside the fish and the other half on top.Bake fish for 45-50 minutes.Serve with lemon wedges.

Rubyan al Maghreb (North African-Style Shrimp)

This is a quick and easy spicy shrimp recipe that is very common to the Maghreb countries of Northern Africa.Serve with couscous or basmati rice.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, crushed

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cumin

2 pinches of cayenne or ground chili pepper

6 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

salt

1 1/2 lbs.large fresh shrimp,peeled

1. Heat olive oil in a medium pan.Add the garlic and stir for 3-4 minutes.

2.Add the shrimp,paprika,ground ginger,cumin, and cayenne and cook till the shrimp become pink, stirring constantly.

3.When most of the shrimp are almost pink, add the fresh cilantro and salt and keep stirring till all the shrimp are pink and fully cooked.Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Samak Dibs Rumman (Fish with Pomegranate Glaze)

The sweet and sour taste of the pomegranate syrup works well with the meaty quality of the swordfish but if it is not available feel free to substitute this recipe with any other favorite firm fleshed fish.Also, this recipe requires about 2 hours extra marinating time.

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
4 equal sized swordfish steaks (or can be substituted with tuna, halibut, red snapper)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

For the glaze:
1 garlic clove, crushed
dash of salt
4 Tbsp. pomegranate syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
dash of black pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the garnish:
3 Tbsp. fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
seeds of 1 small pomegranate, for garnish

1. To make the glaze, place the garlic in a mortar and add the dash of salt and mix with a pestle until smooth.Transfer to a larger bowl and add the pomegranate syrup,cinnamon, cilantro, pepper , and olive oil and mix to combine.
2. rub the pomegranate glaze allover the fish steaks and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for minimum one hour.
3. After you are finished with the marinating, preheat the oven to 350F and bake the fish for 30-40 minutes or until it flakes easily.
4.Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the fresh cilantro leaves and pomegranate seeds.

Samak Tarator (Fish with Pine Nut Sauce)

Tarator is a sharp, garlicky pine nut sauce that is popular in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt.It is usually served with grilled fish and seafood but can also serve as a dip or as a dressing for cooked vegetables.

For the Tarator Sauce:

Yield:1/2 c

Ingredients:

1 c pine nuts

1 slice stale bread, crust removed, soaked in water, then water squeezed out

juice of 1 lemon

1-2 garlic cloves

salt and pepper

1/2 c vegetable oil or olive oil

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until it has a mayonnaise-like consistency.

For the Fish:

Yield:6 Servings

Ingredients:

6 fish fillets (red snapper, swordfish,cod, halibut,or sole)

olive oil, for brushing

salt and pepper

1. Prepare a grill.Brush the fish with olive oil on both sides and drizzle with salt and pepper.

2.Grill fish on both sides till it begins to flake easily.Place on a serving dish and pour the tarator sauce on top or serve on the side.

Samak bi Chermoula (Mackerel with Chermoula Paste)

Photo courtesy of Laura Holmes

Because of it's proximity to both the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean,the following recipe is a common way of preparing fish in the coastal regions of Morocco with chermoula, a spicy coriander garlic paste that is widely used in Moroccan and North African cooking.

Yeild:4 Servings

Ingredients:

4 whole mackerel, cleaned ,gutted, and rinsed

3-4 Tbsp. chermoula (recipe on prevoius post)

3 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a baking dish. Place mackerel in it and rub chermoula allover including the inside of fish.Season with salt and pepper.

2.Place fish in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes.Remove from oven and serve warm with couscous and vegetables.

Samak bi Tahina (Fish with Tahina Sauce)

Photo courtesy of http://homemade-recipes.blogspot.com


Tahina aka tahini is an oily, nutty sesame-flavored paste. It's color ranges from a light, pale beige to a dark beige with a texture ranging from smooth to slightly course with light/smooth being the most superior.Tahina is an essential flavoring in Middle Eastern cuisine as well as those of Israel and the Meditteranean.Tahina is used in a wide range of Middle Eastern dishes from dips, sauces for fish, dressings to vegetables and desserts.One of the most well known dishes to use tahina is the mezze dish hummus bi tahina.Below is a simple Arab recipe using this Middle Eastern flavoring.



Yeild:6 Servings
Ingredients:
2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 c lemon juice
2 lbs. cod fillets or other firm, white fish
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 c tahini
1/3 c pine nuts
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
lemon wedges , for garnish


1.Preheat oven at 350F. Grease oven proof dish with olive oil.

2.In a bowl, combine salt, pepper,cumin, and lemon juice and mix to combine.Coat cod fillets with mixture and set in baking dish.

3.Sprinkle top of fish with onion,red pepper flakes, and pine nuts.Drizzle with tahini and garnish with parsley.

4.Bake for 45 minutes.Serve with basmati rice.

Tibsi Samak bi Loomi (Red Snapper with Lime)

Here's a simple fish recipe from the Iraq using loomi (dried limes). If you cannot get a hold of any loomi , feel free to substitue with lime juice.

6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 lbs. cod or red snapper, fillets

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3 loomi or substitute 1 Tbsp. lime juice

2 large cloves garlic, mashed

4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 Tbsp. pomegranate syrup

handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350F.


2. Combine salt, cumin, pepper flakes in a small bowl and mix. Rub allover fish.


3. Oil a baking dish.Arrange chopped onions on baking dish.Lay the fish on top of onions.Spread garlic on top.Add loomi.Scatter tomatoes on top of fish.


4. Mix pomegranate syrup with 1/2 c water and pour this over fish.Garnish with cilantro.


5. Bake for 55 minutes.Serve with Basmati rice.

Mahmous Rubyan (Shrimp with Garlic and Cilantro)

This dish is popular all over the Arab Gulf States.It is usually served with rice and Arab flatbread.It is the perfect dish for when you are in a rush because it takes about 30 minutes to put together and prepare.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, mashed

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1 tsp.Baharat spice

handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 Tbsp.salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled & deveined

basmati rice, to serve

Arab flatbread, to serve

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Add the onions and stir for about 5 minutes.Add the garlic, cardamom,Baharat,cilantro, salt, and pepper.Keep stirring for another 8 minutes.


2. Add shrimp and continue stirring untill all the shrimp turn pink, 8-10 minutes.Remove from heat.


3. Serve with basmati rice and Arab flatbread.

Samak Kamounieh (Baked Fish with Cumin)

I was told this recipe comes from Egypt. It is simple, easy to prepare , and doesn't require any special ingredients as you probably have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Samak Kamounieh is traditionally served with plain basmati rice and vegetables as a side dish.

Serves:4-6

Ingredients:

4Tbsp. olive oil

3 onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp. cumin

2Tbsp.tomatoe paste

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/4 c water

2 lb. cod or other firm white fish fillets

3 tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. Heat half the oil in a pan then add the onions, garlic, and cumin.Saute until brown.



2. Stir in the tomatoe puree,half the salt,pepper,and water and cook until most of the water has evaporated and the mixture has thickened.



3. Place fish in a greased ovenproof dish.



4. Sprinkle the remaining salt and tomato/cumin sauce over fish.



5. Arrange the tomatoe slices over the top of the fish and sprinkle with remaining oil.



6. Cover fish with foil and bake at 350F for 20 minutes.Check liquid if too dry add a little more.



7. Remove foil cover and cook for 20 minutes more.

Samak Quwarmah (Fish Curry)

This is a recipe for a very popular dish from the Arab Gulf countries.It uses the spice blend Baharat which is very common to this region.In the next blog, I will include the recipe for this arab gulf spice .Dont worry, it uses some spices for which you probably most likely already have on hand.As for the fish, a common feature of Middle-Eastern cooking is that the fish in the recipes are never really specified.As a general rule, people tend to use whatever fish is available in their particular region so like most middle -eastern recipes, just feel free to experiment with what you have on hand and enjoy an authentic arabian gulf meal.

6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. any white firm flesh fish fillets

salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. red chili

1 tsp.Baharat

1 tsp. turmeric

1 c tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 loomi (dried limes)or zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 c water

1. Preheat oven 350F.Oil a baking dish with the olive oil.Rinse fish and pat dry. Place on baking dish and sprinkle with salt.



2. Add remaining ingredients one by one in order. Cover and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.



3. Serve hot with rice.

Red Snapper with Zaatar and Chickpeas

Once again I've changed my mind on what I wanted to prepare for dinner tonight. I had some chickpeas sitting on the countertop soaking for several hours with the original intention of making a lamb tajine but now I'm in the mood for a lighter dish. So, I came up with this recipe.You can substitute another fish if you like as well as canned chickpeas for dried if your pressed for time but thier texture would not be the same.

6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 c dried chickpeas, soaked 8 hours or substitute 1 can , rinsed

5 c cold water

1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic

5 basil leaves

1 tbsp. fresh oregano

handful of fresh parsley

1 tbsp. thyme

6 red snapper fillets

4 slices of red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. zaatar

3 oz water

1. Drain chickpeas, rinse,and transfer to a large pot. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat.Reduce to low and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, or until the chickpeas are soft.When they are ready, remove from heat, drain, and set aside.If using canned , rinse under cold running water to remove salt and set aside.
2. In a food processor or blender, place the olive oil, salt, pepper,garlic, basil, oregano, parsley,and thyme and blend until smooth.
3. Pour the olive oil paste over the warm chickpeas and mix well and set aside.If using the canned chickpeas, heat in the microwave for 2 minutes , then add paste.
4. Preheat oven 350F.Oil a baking dish.Place the fish fillet in it and season both sides with salt and pepper and place the bell pepper on top, then scatter the sliced garlic cloves throughout.Add zaatar.Add 3 oz water to baking dish to retain moisture.
5. Place fish fillets in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.
6. Serve with basmati rice