I’m usually not big on cooked fish, especially cooked white fish. I find it tricky to get a juicy, pearly-white fish.
I simply heard wonders about this particular Tagine, and I was intrigued. The very same week, I went to the nearby Arabic stores near where I live, at Porte de Clignancourt, and bought my first tagine !
I will say this : this Sea Bream Tagine lived up to its reputation. I’m so grateful for my colleague and his recommendation -Anass, if you ever stop by, thanks !!
To put it plainly, this Sea Bream was amongst the best fishes I have ever eaten. The closed tagine kept it fully moist, with a very indirect cooking, since the fish sat on top of all the veggies, far from the base heat. The full fish, with its bones and head, was far more flavourful than a simple fillet. And of course, the lemony Sharmoula, besides seasoning the tender vegetables, infuses the fish with a delicate freshness and needed tang.
There are only a few simple steps to this Sea Bream Tagine :
- make a quick Sharmoula ;
- marinade your fish with Sharmoula ;
- cut up your veggies ;
- assemble it all in your Tagine and cook away !
You will feel so glad once this low-effort meal is ready, with all its fragrances wafting through your home.
Sea Bream Tagine – Recipe
Tagine 101 – For Tagine new users
- Choosing the right Tagine
- Use a clay or earthenware tagine, preferably unglazed. This allows the vessel to breathe and develop flavor over time.
- Avoid varnished/glazed interiors (unless certified food-safe), as some glazes may contain toxic substances.
- Look for traditional Moroccan tagines labeled as suitable for cooking—not just decorative.
- Choose the size based on servings; a 30–35 cm (12–14 inch) base is great for 4–6 people.
- Seasoning a New Tagine (especially unglazed clay)
- Submerge the entire tagine (lid and base) in water for 12–24 hours before first use. This strengthens the clay. You can use your sink, a large bucket, or your bathtub !
- Remove from water and let it dry completely, around 6 hours at least.
- That’s it ! And don’t forget to coat the inner base of your tagine with olive oil before using.
Ingredients – Pieces of advice
- Fish :
- Sea bream is a popular choice for tagine because of its firm, white flesh, mild but slightly sweet flavor, and ability to hold its shape during slow cooking. It complements the rich, spiced, and citrusy flavors of Moroccan tagine without overpowering them.
- If you need to replace sea bream, use sea bass or snapper.
- Veggies :
- Feel free to play around with the veggies ! Favourites for the tagine, apart from those listed here, comprise carrots and sweet potato. Try to adjust depending on the season !
- I absolutely love olives here, but you can skip them if you don’t like it. I recommend using purple olives, ideally, but you can also use green ones or black ones.
- Salt is your friend here ! It is important to salt both your veggies and your fish properly to end up with a tasty tagine.
- Sharmoula : Unskippable here ! Here it my Sharmoula recipe.
Off to your kitchen now !
Sea Bream Tagine
Description
This Moroccan fish tagine is one of the most popular amongst locals, and for good reason. It might look plain, but looks can be very deceptive, as you well know.
Ingredients
Instructions
Fish time !
Wash your whole fish. Halve it if it's too large (not fitting your tagine).
Make 3 to 4 cuts on each side. Add one large horizontal cut along the bottom of your fish.
Add around half of your sharmoula batch to the fish, dividing the amount on each side.
Massage well your fish so that the sharmoula penetrates well through the cuts.
Prep your veggies
Set your fish aside to marinate while you cut your veggies.
Halve, then slice your onions (0.5cm thick).
Slice your potato and lemon quite thinly (0.5cm thick).
Slice your tomato, too (1cm thick).
Cut your bell pepper and green chili pepper, if using, into quite thin strips.
Let's Tagine !
Brush the inner base of your tagine with olive oil.
Layer in your tagine, in this order : onions first, then cilantro stems, 1/4 of your salt, potato slices, 1/4 of your salt, tomatoes, 1/4 of your salt, fish, 1/4 of your salt.
Add lemon layers so that they cover your fish.
Start cooking
Close your tagine and start cooking on a low heat.
40 to 50 minutes later, or where your potatoes are almost cooked, add your bell pepper, chili pepper and olives, along with a pinch of salt.
Let it cook 30 more minutes, or when your potatoes are fully cooked through.
Et voilà !! You're done !