Chermoula-Rubbed Fish with Zucchini and Pistachio Couscous
Yikes, Blogger seems to have "disappeared" this one too. Please excuse any weirdness.
Ok, so chermoula is one great way to use the preserved lemons I wrote about earlier. It's another North African spice paste, especially good for grilling fish, but great on vegetables too. I know, preserved lemons have been all over the food blog world lately, and still not many people have recipes to use them. And the zucchini-pistachio couscous - divine. It makes me like zucchini and couscous more than I've ever liked either one before. Must be the pistachios. Have I mentioned that pistachios make everything better? I'll admit, this is adapted from a Rachael Ray Everyday recipe, but she didn't use pistachios in her couscous or preserved lemons in her chermoula.
Chermoula:
2 garlic cloves
1 small bunch fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 preserved lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot paprika or red chile powder
Small pinch of saffron (optional)
4 T olive oil
Salt to taste
Mince the garlic, cilantro and preserved lemon very finely, or puree in a food processor. Mix in remaining ingredients. Rub on fish or chicken pieces and grill, bake or fry as desired. I like to just pan-fry a fillet of Pacific cod about 2 minutes on each side.
Zucchini Couscous:
1 small zucchini
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup couscous
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup shelled, chopped pistachios
Dice and saute the zucchini in oil until soft and lightly browned. Add salt, boiling water and couscous. Stir gently, and cover tightly for 5 minutes. Add pistachios and fluff with a fork.
Ok, so chermoula is one great way to use the preserved lemons I wrote about earlier. It's another North African spice paste, especially good for grilling fish, but great on vegetables too. I know, preserved lemons have been all over the food blog world lately, and still not many people have recipes to use them. And the zucchini-pistachio couscous - divine. It makes me like zucchini and couscous more than I've ever liked either one before. Must be the pistachios. Have I mentioned that pistachios make everything better? I'll admit, this is adapted from a Rachael Ray Everyday recipe, but she didn't use pistachios in her couscous or preserved lemons in her chermoula.
Chermoula:
2 garlic cloves
1 small bunch fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 preserved lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot paprika or red chile powder
Small pinch of saffron (optional)
4 T olive oil
Salt to taste
Mince the garlic, cilantro and preserved lemon very finely, or puree in a food processor. Mix in remaining ingredients. Rub on fish or chicken pieces and grill, bake or fry as desired. I like to just pan-fry a fillet of Pacific cod about 2 minutes on each side.
Zucchini Couscous:
1 small zucchini
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup couscous
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup shelled, chopped pistachios
Dice and saute the zucchini in oil until soft and lightly browned. Add salt, boiling water and couscous. Stir gently, and cover tightly for 5 minutes. Add pistachios and fluff with a fork.
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