Saffron Fish With Red Peppers and Preserved Lemon

By Joan Nathan

Published March 16, 2021

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,055)
Comments
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This very flexible recipe is often served by Moroccan Jews and their descendants. Many who moved to France, for example, tend to prepare it with preserved lemons and olives. Others living in Jerusalem, like Danielle Renov, author of “Peas, Love & Carrots” (Mesorah Publications, 2020), might incorporate more spice. (Ms. Renov omits the saffron for Passover.) With the addition of red peppers and tomatoes coming from the Americas, it became the rich Moroccan dish it is today. Traditionally made with white fish, it also works with salmon or shad. Serve this as an appetizer, symbolic of the wish for abundance. Assemble it in the morning and cook it just before serving, or eat the fish at room temperature. For a main course, add quinoa or couscous to soak up the flavorful juices.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 8 servings

  • A few pinches to ½ teaspoon saffron strands

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 red bell peppers, trimmed, quartered, seeded, then halved crosswise

  • 1 large red or yellow onion, diced

  • 2 tomatoes, diced

  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

  • 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and delicate stems separated and chopped

  • Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

  • 8 skinless fish fillets (about 4 ounces each), such as salmon, sea bass, striped bass, whitefish or rockfish

  • 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika

  • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)

  • ¼ cup pitted kalamata or green Moroccan olives

  • 1 preserved lemon, rinsed, chopped (peel and flesh) and seeded (or the juice of 1 fresh lemon)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 8 servings)

11 grams carbs; 21 milligrams cholesterol; 116 calories; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 6 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 425 milligrams sodium; 7 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour 2 cups of boiling water into a bowl and sprinkle with the saffron strands. Use a spoon to press the saffron strands against the side of the bowl to release the flavor. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over low. Add the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro stems, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is transparent.

  3. Step 3

    Nestle the fish into the vegetables, sprinkle with the paprika, red-pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour the prepared saffron water over everything. (You can do all of this in advance 1 day in advance, and refrigerate until ready to finish.)

  4. Step 4

    When ready to cook, add the olives and preserved lemon (if using — but if using fresh lemon, that will come in Step 5). Bring the mixture to a boil over high, reduce to low, cover the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, basting the fish every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro leaves during the last few minutes of cooking.

  5. Step 5

    Taste for seasoning and serve, setting the fish on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, if not using the preserved lemon. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,055 user ratings
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Comments

Natasha

We have made our own family’s variation on Moroccan fish hundreds of times. I can assure you that this recipe by no means overcooks the fish.

KLP

I halved the recipe for 2 people for dinner and served it over rice. Excellent. I used one giant red bell pepper and capers instead of olives. It took about 10 minutes for the cod (not quite a lb., cut into four pieces) to cook through. My husband wanted the peppers a bit softer. I liked them as is, tender crisp, but l may try cutting the peppers smaller next time. Don’t skip the preserved lemon.

Erica

I suggest using a medium Dutch oven or stock pot as shown in the photo, not a skillet. The volume of ingredients needs a vessel with higher sides. Made this for the first time and it came out great!

Jing G

made as written, fish was not overcooked at all. I would simply up the amount of olive next time. Great, easy, very aromatic dish.

Aviva

I made this recipe using homemade veggie stock instead of water and started the saute with a few anchovies and slowly built in the onions then garlic then veg to build up flavor and it came out SO DELICIOUS. I think those additions added a lot of umami that previous comments warned the recipe was missing. Will be making this dish again and again anytime I need a one pan showstopper for dinner.

Gabe

This is an outstanding dish. We slurped up every drop of sauce. Made as written.

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