Lemon Cod Tagine with Spicy Za'atar and Tahini Sauce

In my opinion, cod is not the most delicious type of fish. On its own, it's kind of boring. However, it has the great advantage of being super versatile and easily combined. From classic fish and chips dishes to some delicious fish tacos, cod is the fish you want to use.

And that is exactly why this cod fish stew found its way into our house. I was inspired by the many tagine recipes we had when we visited Morocco, especially the Hraimi. To that, I added a few of our own preferences and ended up with this absolutely delicious Lemon Cod Tagine with Spicy Za'atar and Tahini Sauce.

This being said, let me tell you how to prepare a batch:

• In a large bowl, mix together the lemon juice, 1 tsp of ras el hanut, ginger, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika, salt and black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cod fillets and coat them in the marinade.

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• Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a tagine or large pot over medium heat. Add the cardamom, clove and hot pepper. Let them heat up for 30 seconds or so.

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• Add the diced onion, turmeric, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onion, is softened.
• Add the chopped garlic to the tagine and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the tomato paste and tomato juice, and add sugar and the rest of the spices. Bring to a simmer.

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• Add the potatoes to the tagine, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Add the cod.

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• Cover once again, and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the olives and cook for 15 minutes without the lid. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as you like.

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• In a small bowl, combine the za'atar, harissa, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• In a separate small bowl, place the tahini and season with salt. Grate in the garlic and stir to combine. Slowly pour in cold water, one drop at a time, while whisking continuously until the mixture becomes creamy. At first the mixture will thicken, but in the end it will magically turn into a lovely creamy texture.
• To serve, spoon the tagine onto plates and top with the spicy za'atar mixture. Serve the tahini sauce on the side and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top.

That's it. I love to serve this dish with just a simple bowl of steamed rice. However, you can go with just some pita bread or couscous.

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And now for some wiki facts. Hraimi is a traditional fish stew from Tunisia and Libya, typically made with fish like cod, sardines, or tuna, along with a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and bell peppers.

As a matter of fact, Hraimi is actually a traditional tagine recipe. And because of that, many of the original tagine ingredients can be found in this reinterpretation. But again, I don't even want to imply that this is how Hraimi should be made.

So, call it Lemon Cod Tagine with Spicy Za'atar and Tahini Sauce, or simply call it a cod stew with tomatoes and potatoes, but don't miss the chance to give it a try.

If you want to recreate this tagine recipe but don't have a tagine, you can use a thick cast iron pot or a wok. The important thing is to work at low heat and use a lid.

That's it for today. I hope that you will love this dish as much as we do. And as always, remember to tag us on Instagram when you cook this fine fish stew.