Tunisian Fish Stew with Harissa

Name: Tunisian Fish Stew with Harissa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely chopped; 2 medium (about 14 oz total) (400 g) red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) strips; 5 cloves (20 g) garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tsp (2½ g) caraway seeds, toasted and coarsely ground; 1 tsp (2 g) coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 3 tbsp (50 g) harissa paste, plus more to taste; 1 can (28 oz) (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices included; 2 cups (480 ml) fish stock or water; 12 oz (340 g) waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1½ lb (680 g) firm white fish fillets (cod, haddock or halibut), skinless, patted dry, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 2 medium (240 g) lemons, 1 juiced (about 3 tbsp), 1 cut into wedges; ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 8 slices (280 g) crusty bread, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chunks of firm white fish gently poached in a garlicky tomato and roasted-pepper broth spiced with harissa, caraway and coriander, then brightened with lemon and fresh cilantro. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the broth.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium (about 14 oz total) (400 g) red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) strips
5 cloves (20 g) garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp (2.5 g) caraway seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1 tsp (2 g) coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
3 tbsp (50 g) harissa paste, plus more to taste
1 can (28 oz) (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices included
2 cups (480 ml) fish stock or water
12 oz (340 g) waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1½ lb (680 g) firm white fish fillets (cod, haddock or halibut), skinless, patted dry, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
2 medium (240 g) lemons, 1 juiced (about 3 tbsp), 1 cut into wedges
½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
8 slices (280 g) crusty bread, for serving

Equipment (6)

Large heavy pot or Dutch oven, 5-quart (4.7 L)
Chef's knife and cutting board
Small dry skillet for toasting spices
Mortar and pestle or spice grinder
Wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Pat the fish dry and keep it refrigerated until the moment you use it.
Harissa brands vary a lot in heat and salt. Start with the lesser amount and add more at the end.
Whole caraway and coriander seeds are best toasted and ground fresh, but pre-ground works too.
Have bread ready for serving; the broth is the best part.

1
Toast the spices
- Place the caraway and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat.
- Toast, shaking the pan, for about 1 minute.
- Tip into a mortar or spice grinder and coarsely grind.
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Ready when: Seeds smell fragrant and darken slightly; remove before they smoke.
Tip: Burnt caraway turns bitter, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as it smells strong.
2
Soften onion and peppers
- Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, bell peppers and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and the pepper strips are soft and slightly collapsed.
3
Bloom the aromatics
- Stir in the garlic, ground caraway and coriander, cumin, tomato paste and harissa.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Paste darkens to brick red and the oil turns red at the edges.
Tip: If it sticks, add a splash of stock to loosen it.
4
Build the broth
- Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices, the stock and the potatoes.
- Stir, scraping up any browned bits.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the broth has thickened slightly.
5
Season the base
- Stir in the remaining ½ tsp salt and half of the lemon juice.
- Taste and add more harissa or salt if you want more heat or depth.
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Ready when: Broth tastes bold, balanced and a little too strong, since the fish will mellow it.
Tip: Season now; fish is hard to season once it is cooked.
6
Poach the fish
- Season the fish lightly with a pinch of salt.
- Nestle the chunks into the simmering broth in a single layer, spooning broth over the top.
- Cover and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes without stirring.
- Check the thickest piece with an instant-read thermometer; if it is below 145°F (63°C), cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
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Ready when: Fish is opaque throughout, flakes easily and reads 145°F (63°C) in the thickest piece.
Tip: Avoid stirring vigorously; shake the pot gently or spoon broth over the fish so the chunks stay intact.
7
Rest and finish
- Turn off the heat and let the stew stand, covered, for 3 minutes.
- Drizzle in the remaining lemon juice and scatter over most of the cilantro.
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Ready when: Broth is fragrant and the fish is fully cooked but still moist.
8
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each gets fish and potatoes.
- Top with the remaining cilantro and serve with lemon wedges, crusty bread and extra harissa at the table.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the fish into large chunks; small pieces fall apart in the stew.
Use a gentle simmer for the fish. A hard boil breaks it up and toughens it.
Taste the broth before adding the fish and adjust heat and salt then.
A drizzle of good olive oil over each bowl adds richness.

Make ahead

Make the broth through step 5 up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a gentle simmer, then add the fish and continue from step 6.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), taking care not to boil hard and break up the fish. The stew base without fish freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Not recommended to freeze with the fish.

Substitutions

firm white fish fillets (cod, haddock or halibut) → Monkfish, pollock or sea bass. Any firm white fish works; adjust poaching time by thickness and cook to 145°F (63°C).
fish stock or water → Chicken stock or water with an extra pinch of salt. Water gives a lighter result; stock adds depth.
harissa paste → 1 tbsp tomato paste plus 1 tsp chili flakes and ½ tsp smoked paprika. Not identical, but approximates the heat and color.
fresh cilantro → Flat-leaf parsley. Milder and more neutral.