About This Dish
Essaouira is Morocco's seafood capital, and this tagine showcases the Wind City's culinary identity. A mix of fresh fish, shrimp, and mussels are cooked in a chermoula-spiced tomato and pepper sauce with potatoes and olives. Unlike meat tagines that cook for hours, the seafood version comes together quickly to keep the fish tender and moist. Every fish restaurant in Essaouira's harbor area serves their own version, each claiming theirs is the best. The tagine captures the essence of the Atlantic coast — fresh, bright, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
- 400 g Firm white fish, cubed
- 200 g Large shrimp
- 200 g Mussels, cleaned
- 2 Potatoes, sliced
- 3 Tomatoes, sliced
- 1 Bell pepper, sliced
- 4 tbsp Chermoula paste
- 100 g Olives
- 1 Preserved lemon
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- to taste Salt
Instructions
- 1
Marinate fish and shrimp in half the chermoula for 20 minutes.
- 2
Layer potatoes in the bottom of a tagine. Season with salt and olive oil.
- 3
Add tomatoes, peppers, and remaining chermoula.
- 4
Cover and cook on medium for 20 minutes until potatoes are nearly tender.
- 5
Arrange marinated fish, shrimp, and mussels on top. Add olives and preserved lemon.
- 6
Cover and cook 15 minutes until seafood is just done and mussels open.
- 7
Serve immediately from the tagine.
Tips & Tricks
- Add seafood at the end — it only needs 15 minutes.
- Discard any mussels that do not open after cooking.
- The potatoes on the bottom absorb all the delicious juices.