by Carolyn Tillie

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Moroccan Fish Tagine with Tomato, Peppers, and
Preserved Lemons

For the Charmoula
1 large garlic clove, crushed with 2 teaspoons salt in a blender or mortar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red-pepper flakes, seeds removed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fruity olive oil

4 thick lean fish fillets or slices, about 8 ounces each; monkfish, halibut, red snapper, etc
1 large carrot, sliced very thin
1 pound red, ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced thin
2 small green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced thin
1 small green or red hot pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced thin (note: I'm a wimp and used an Anaheim chili which are not as spicy)
sea salt and pepper
2 wedges Preserved Lemons, rinsed and drained, pulp discarded, peel sliced thin
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 Moroccan dried olives
Sprigs of fresh coriander, for garnish

 		 
1. Early in the day, or the day before, make the charmoula: In a blender, combine the garlic, spices, herbs, and pepper flakes. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a small saucepan and heat it slowly, stirring, until hot and aromatic, about 30 seconds; do not boil. Let it cool, then divide the spice mixture, or charmoula, in half.

2. Rinse the fish and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub one portion of the spice mixture into the fish and let it stand at least 1 hour, or overnight. Add 1/2 cup of the hot water to the remaining spice mixture, cover, and refrigerate separately (The recipe can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)

3. About 1 1/2 hours before serving, preheat the oven to 300(F. Spread 2 tablespoons of reserved charmoula over the bottom of a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking-serving dish (about 10 inches in diameter). Scatter the carrots on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with a little charmoula. Add half the tomatoes, bell peppers, and chili pepper; sprinkle with a little charmoula. Lay the fish over the vegetables and cover with the preserved lemon peel and the remaining tomatoes and peppers in a decorative pattern. Spread the remaining charmoula over all and scatter olives around. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

4. Pour off the liquid from the fish into a small non-corrodible saucepan. Bring it to a boil over moderately high heat and boil until it is reduced to 1/2 cup of thick liquid. Pour it back over the fish. (The dish can be prepared up to 1 hour ahead to this point).

5. Raise the oven temperature to 500(F. Uncover the baking dish, baste with the pan juices, and bake in the top third of the oven for 10 minutes, or until a nice crust has formed over the vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with sprigs of coriander. Serve warm.


Layering Complete
A word on the clay pots. The oval, darker pot is known as a Tagra and is unglazed. Now that it has been cooked with fish, it will be relegated to the "only ever use with fish" pile. The round, handled clay pot is better known for making cassoulet and has a glazed interior. The flavors of the fish become imbued into the clay of the Tagra and should I ever use it to, say, roast a chicken, than that chicken might taste a tad fishy. Also, as expected, the unglazed clay pot was ultimately the preferred cooking method for this dish. The flavors of the fish were more rustic and the spice flavors permeated the roasted vegetables with more depth. The vegetables in the glazed pot seemed to lack an intensity of flavors. Truly astonishing...


Now for the wine

2003 Civello Pinot Gris - Produced by Row Eleven from Oregon grapes, the wine is reminiscent of a rich Sauvignon Blanc with a hint of clean grass in the nose. The mouthfeel is initially crisp and light, but broadens to display hints of gooseberry.

2004 Cole Bailey Sesquipedalian Sauvignon Blanc - Clean aromas of key lime peel and white stone fruit with a whisper of spice. A very crisp entry that blossoms to reveal melon in luscious hedonism. Layers of fresh white stone fruit with a finish of lemon peel.

2004 Gundlach-Bundschu Gewurztraminer - White flowers and grapefruit play on the nose. Slightly effervescent mouth entry shows balanced spice and crisp flavors of white peach, pear, and rich citrus.

2004 Smith-Madrone Riesling - Made in the Alsatian style, with less than one percent residual sugar, this astonishing mountain wine at first provides floral aromas akin to Edelweiss and daisies, but deepens to display hints of key lime and white melon. With a core of minerality, the wine is at first bright and engaging, but finishes with a spicy elegance surprising in a California Riesling.

2004 Renard Roussanne - I think I have a new favorite wine... Lemony yellow in color with a sweet nose, the crisp, acidic entry has a viscous, oily complexion that is rich and flinty. The textures and supple with flavors of dark honeycomb and ripe yellow stonefruit.

2003 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc - 68% Roussanne, 27% Grenache Blanc, and 5% Viognier. I'm learning that it must be the Roussanne which provides the oily mouthfeel which is fabulous for complicated food pairings. Coupled with the Grenache Blanc, this rich offering dominates with a complicated layering of lemon meringue and custard. A simple wine would only have lemon flavors or maybe even complex meringue, but a custard-like richness adds to the depth of the wine.

2003 Gundlach-Bundschu Tempranillo Rosé‚ - A pale red with pink tints on the edges, luscious red fruit with hints of strawberry balanced with cherry tones with a buttery undercurrent. Fruity mouth entry develops into a marshmallow sensation with the food.


Hot Out Of The Oven
These are the basics of the wine notes, but the purpose of all this was a determination of wine pairings. The charmoula was not overly spicy, but when cooked with the preserved lemon, created dark and rustic flavor sensations with an occasional spike of aged citrus that made a wine pairing difficult.  In this respect, the Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling were the least successful. The Sauvignon Blanc, which was surprisingly elegant and rich, became strident and harsh. The Riesling, which I adore for its whisper of sweetness, became medicinal.

The rosé, which was not a sickly sweet version and usually shows depth and balance, became a candy shop of nasty, oddly artificial flavors. The cherry and raspberry flavors in the wine seemed enhanced to a degree that would be found in dime-store candy. The Gewurztraminer, not too surprisingly, became sweeter next to the spices. This is often why Alsatian-style Gewurtztraminers are recommended for spicy Asian food; the hint of sweetness counter-balances the bite of a pepper. In this case, I might almost suggest that the charmoula was not spicy enough and the occasional bite with preserved lemon conflicted with the wine. However, the depth of rustic earthiness provided by the olives were a perfect pairing to the wine. Similarly, the Pinot Gris was rich before the food pairing, but thinned out and became almost beer-like when paired with the cumin and paprika.

This leads us with Roussannes. Hands-down an amazing pairing. The viscosity of the two wines helped coat the tongue and showed balanced acidity. The spices seemed enhanced and while they were not hotter or more mouth-burning, they showed more rustic depth and integration with the fish. The occasional bite of preserved lemon complemented the citrus qualities in the wine and the olives provided a punctuation of provincial perfection ultimately showing that such a complex dish - and I hope to prove that others - are well-suited to wine, once one figures out the best route to take is through experimentation and choice.


Dinner Is Served!

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Previously from Carolyn Tillie:

Coro Mendocino

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