A Present For Cathy

[KYHeirloomer]

Glad you liked it, Cathy.

So, at what temp to you finally cook it? And for how long?

If you continue your facination with Morrocan food you really must get a copy of Paula Wolfert's Couscous and Other good food From Morocco. It is the seminal work on the subject, and, in addition to recipes, provides all sorts of other insights into how and why Morrocans use foodstuffs the way they do. A must-have for North African cookery.

Here's an example of how extensive it is. None of my other books even list fish tagines as a possibility. Paula discusses them (and other seafood preparations) at length, provides three recipes, and alludes to others. And she makes the point that fish for tagines (and, indeed, most other fish dishes in Morroco) are cooked with a marinade called charmoula.

You remember me saying that even today, if you reach out your hand the sea will feed you? Paula quotes the people from the Rif Mountain area, who say, "If a man is with god he can put his arm into the water and by each of its hairs pull up a fish." Maybe that's not true. But it shows how well she knows Morroco and its people.

So do get the book.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Good morning Brook,

I most def. will get the books you've mentioned, I am not only fascinated with Mooccan cooking (maybe a little obsessed right now) but I love the history, Paula's book sounds like it would be enlightening and I do not know for sure but I am going to call our library today and see if the've a copy to check-out. We are fortunate in that our library has some Sun. hours.

Well I placed the onion and vadalia onions in the bottom of the tagine and covered it with the lid and put into the oven 15 min's on low heat 250 to steam them, then I placed the marinated fish pieces into tagine added my water (I see what you mean about doubling the marinade sauce) and cooked 250 15 min's longer, it was not simmering but fish was cooking slowly so I raised heat to @ 325-350 covered and cooked additional 30 min.'s, fish was done and oh so moist and flavored perfectly except it did need salt (the recipe called for none) BUT I did take the onions and juices from the bottom of the tagine and I placed them into the iron shillet and reduced down the sauce a bit. The plating/presentation was beautiful! I used a bed or Jasmine rice layed the fish pieces on it, then spooned the onion-raisin sauce over the top and the onions kept their shape they were not so cooked as to get totally falling apart soft. Eddie's eyes popped when I placed the plate in front of him and then after just 2 bites began shaking his head "yes", we both agreed this recipe is a keeper. Oh and by the way the only fish I could even find at any type reasonable price BESIDES catfish was Tilapia so I used Tilapia and it turned out great! I so wanted cod as it is one of my favorite besides grouper, but well when you live inland!

In the cookbook I have there are 8 seafood recipes out of 76 recipes total in the book, not too bad as her book covers everything from beverages to desserts. There are salads, breads, vegetable recipes and of-course main course dishes and couscous!

Well my side-kick and I will be off to the library shortly to search out the books you suggest! And a funny story about the sea and fish just coming to you: I was in a kyack one time and a school of fish swam by and sure 'nuff I happened to have one jump right in the boat with me, it was exciting and oh so funny at the time!

Thank you, Cathy

P.S. there is a recipe in my book for this Chermoula Marinade in a recipe called "Monkfish Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Mint" would you like to have me post it, or have you allready got this recipe? Let me know and I will share if you would like to give it a try!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Also have a recipe called: pan-fried shrimp w/ ginger, cumin and paprika are you interested in having it. We've not tried it eyt but it looks great, and we bought the shrimp just have not got around to it yet!

[KYHeirloomer]

Cathy, when you're checking the library, don't forget the ILL (InterLibraryLoan) system. I often get books that way which my library doesn't own.

Don't bother typing out the charmoula recipe. I have Paula's version, which is probably similar enough to make no never mind.

Maybe I'm in a minority, but I have no problems with tilapia. It's only drawback, far as I'm concerned, is that sometimes you need a really thick piece of fish, and it's hard to find tilapia in that form.

In fact, because it takes on the flavors of what it's cooked with, I think tilapia would be ideal for this application, or any other tagine.

As to affordible fresh fish, I wonder if there is such a thing anymore? The snapper filets we bought yeserday were 17 bucks and change a pound.

But you should check out the frozen seafood section. That stuff is all FAS, and, in actuality, is fresher than the "fresh" you get over the counter. And it tends to be affordible. We bought a one-pound package of frozen cod at the same market we got the deal on fennel bulbs, for about six bucks.

[KYHeirloomer]

Ooh, ooh, ooh! Yes, please. That shrimp recipe sounds incredible. Please post it.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Will do so upon return fr: library, gotta go they open in 9 min's it takes 5 to drive there I love our location in Rome just 5 to anywhere we frequent! Thanks for reminder on inter- library loan! P.S. one of my baby siters has been a librarian many yrs with the library system in Shreveport Louisiana, 3 of us girls are like book-heads! One is simply an air-head, we love her just the same!!! LOL; she is our fun one that keeps us in stitches!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

No luck at the library-she put in a wish list for me though and that was nice; I want my own copies to keep anyway so will order on-line! Got a book that struck my fascination called: HOW TO RULE THE WORLD The Coming Battle Over the Global Economy By Mark Engler, NOW that ought to be a blast to read and probably scare the heck out of me too! lol

Going to post the shrimp rec. under appropriate thread!