Fish Tagine with Apricots and Honey

Yesterday I went to the Imperial War Museum, to see the Children at War and Once Upon a Wartime exhibitions. Both of them were really good and the Children at War exhibition also included the 1940s house, which was fascinating too.

This is one my Mum cooked again. It was really good, so tasty and the fish was cooked to perfection. I didn't mind the sweet and savoury together, it just worked so well.



Fish Tagine with Apricots and Honey (from Leiths Fish Bible)
(Serves 4)

65g tilapia fillets
1 tsp ground cumin
pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
a large pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ras-al-hanout
30g semi dried apricots
1 tbsp set honey
425ml fish stock
1/2 lemon, finely sliced
2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander
salt and pepper

Cut each tilapia fillet into 3-4 strips. Sprinkle the tilapia with half of the cumin, season with pepper and rub into the fish. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 mins or until required.

Heat the oil in a large casserole and add the onion, garlic, saffron, cinnamon, ras-al-hanout and the remaining cumin, the apricots, honey, stock and lemon slices. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15-20 mins or until the onion and lemon are soft and the liquid reduced by half.

Add the fish strips and coriander to the summer liquid and poach over a low heat for 3-4 mins. Season the tagine with salt and pepper.

Serve the tagine directly from the casserole, garnished with coriander sprigs. Goes well with couscous.

Chicken and Lentil Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

I went to my sisters a few weekends ago and she made a delicious lamb tagine for Sunday lunch. I came home and decided that I wanted to have a go at making a tagine too. I went with chicken and lentil and it was delicious and surprisingly really easy to make. I also have some lamb casseroling meat in the freezer so I'm hoping to make a lamb and artichoke one sometime soon.

I served it with couscous with tomatoes, courgette and pine nuts.




Chicken and lentil tagine with preserved lemons and olives (adapted from the Hairy Bikers)
(Serves 6)

½ tsp saffron threads, crushed
250ml/9fl oz chicken stock, warmed
3 tbsp olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 free-range chicken, jointed
250g red lentils
1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
6 small preserved lemons, quartered, or 2 larger ones, chopped
100g/3½oz mixed olives (green is traditional)
good handful coriander leaves, chopped
good handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Add the saffron threads to the stock to infuse.

Meanwhile, in a tagine or heavy-bottomed lidded casserole, heat the olive oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the ginger, cumin and garlic and cook gently for a couple of minutes

Add the chicken and lentils and stir to coat with the onion and spices. Sprinkle in the crushed peppercorns and add the lemons and saffron-infused stock.

Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on a very gentle heat for about one hour, or until the chicken is falling apart.

Add the olives and continue to simmer for another ten minutes. Add the chopped coriander and parsley just before serving

Serve with potatoes, crusty bread or rice and a green salad.