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1 striped bass OR 2 red snappers OR any large firm-fleshed white fish (4-1/2 to 5 lbs.), head and tail removed, scaled and cleaned
6 bamboo chopsticks or a head of celery.
Early in the day, wash the fish. If it smells fishy, rub it with the optional lemon juice and rinse. Rub with salt and let stand 10 minutes. Rinse again and drain. Pat dry with paper towels.
Slice the fish crosswise into 5 or 6 large pieces. Rub in some of the Chermoula (click here for recipe) and let stand at least 30 minutes (the longer the better) so that the spices can penetrate the fish.
1-1/2 hour before serving, peel the potatoes and slice thinly. Slice tomatoes crosswise into thin slices. Halve green peppers and remove the seeds.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Make a lattice pattern on the bottom of the baking dish by crisscrossing the six bamboo chopsticks. Alternately, slice celery into batonnettes and use it to make the crisscross pattern. (This will protect the fish from burning and keep it moist.)
Arrange the fish slices over the chopsticks or celery. Dip the sliced potatoes into the Chermoula and spread over the fish. Repeat with the tomatoes and the green peppers. Chop the garlic and sprinkle over the vegetables.
Mix the remaining Chermoula with the tomato paste, lemon juice, oil and 1/2 cup water. Pour this sauce over the fish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove cover. Raise the oven heat to the highest setting and move the baking dish to the topmost shelf in the oven. Bake 20 minutes, uncovered, or until the fish is cooked and a nice crust has formed.
Posted by Laurie Sarney
Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A
Lemon juice (optional)
Kosher salt
1 recipe Chermoula (click here for recipe)
3 large potatoes (red)
3 red, ripe tomatoes
3 sweet green peppers
1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled
1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup salad oil