Tuna Tagine: Jump to the Recipe.
Bert Greene, originator of this recipe, is the first to admit that this is a Moroccan-ish Tuna Tagine, as opposed to a Moroccan one:
Fish tagines are part of every North African cook’s repertoire, but you will not find the next in any medina from one end of Tunis to the other.
Bert Greene, The Grains Cookbook
Note that he mentions Tunis rather than Casablanca or Tangier, Morocco’s most famous coastal cities. The tagine is one of the great dishes to have emerged from North Africa, and while there are regional variations galore, the basic tagine concept is the same: meat, vegetables, and spices, all tenderly steamed to bring out the flavors of the areas gorgeous produce and delicate spices.
What I particularly like about this Tuna Tagine: It’s a powerful reminder that Morocco, Tunis, and Algeria has a lot of ocean waterfront, and therefore a lot of great fish. Good news for all of us less likely to eat a lamb or even chicken tagine.
While the dish is named for the distinctive domed pot in which it’s traditionally cooked and served…
…a good skillet with a lid works just fine, as you can see in the video. (By the way, the tagine above is solely for serving; I spotted this one at World Market.) Prep is easy; you just sauté things, more or less in the order recommended.
And while I’m typically not a huge fan of fresh tuna steak, I like the technique of searing off the outside, leaving the middle pretty raw, then finishing with a quick steam. I know a lot of folks who prefer the tuna completely raw, or seared on the outside and raw in the center. Of course, that’s up to you. For those who like their proteins definitely un-raw, this technique cooks it perfectly without overdoing it. This little movie, made with the Jumprope App that I am kind of crushing on right now, shows how to do it:
This is a fine choice if you want to do a Moroccan movie date. Enjoy with a wine glass filled with sparkling water laced with a little bit of rose water.
