Skip to main content

Pan-Cooked Fish Fillet with Chermoula Sauce

Pan-cooking with the famous marinade is the simplest and quickest way of preparing a Moroccan-style fish dish.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2–1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4–1/2 teaspoon ground chili pepper (optional)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon or 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 pounds fish fillets such as turbot, hake, or cod—skin on

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    For the chermoula, blend everything except the fish together in the food processor. Marinate the fish in half the quantity of sauce for 1/2 hour—setting aside the rest.

    Step 2

    Put the fish in a large nonstick skillet filmed with oil over medium heat, skin side down, and cook, turning them over once, for 3–8 minutes, or until the fish flakes but is still a little underdone. If the fillets are thin, do not turn them over—they will cook through to the top.

    Step 3

    Serve with the remaining sauce poured over.

  2. Variation

    Step 4

    For another chermoula (every town, every family, has its own special combination) mix: 1/2 cup chopped cilantro; 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley; 3 large garlic cloves, crushed; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 1 good pinch of ground chili pepper; juice of 1 lemon or 4 tablespoons wine vinegar; and 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive or other oil.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Like miso-peanut hibachi chicken and spring orzotto.
Like “phenomenal” whole lemon bars and grilled salmon with dill chimichurri.
This chicken salad nails it—creamy, herby, and endlessly riffable.
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
A flurry of fresh tarragon makes this speedy weeknight dish of seared cod and luscious, sun-colored pan sauce feel restaurant worthy.