Name: Tunisian Fish Ball Tagine (Tagine Kefta mn Hoot, or Boulettes de Poisson)
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds mild white fish, such as cod, sole, snapper, or bass; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro); 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 onions, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon harissa; 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 4 slices stale bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry, or 1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs; 6 tablespoons tomato puree, or 4 tomatoes, chopped; 2 cups fish broth or water; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; couscous for serving; chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish; 3 tablespoons olive oil; olive oil for frying; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 egg, beaten

Preparation info

Serves
6 to 8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Saffron Shores

By Joyce Goldstein

Published 2002

About

In Spain, Sephardic fish balls, called albondigas, were seasoned simply with parsley and maybe a little cheese, then fried and served with tomato sauce. Tunisian Jewish fish balls are more highly seasoned. To hold the fish together, most cooks use fresh bread crumbs, but Simy Danan uses only dry crumbs and some cooked rice. During Passover, matzoh meal is used. The fish balls may be fried or poached, then simmered in fish broth flavored with tomato puree, and served with couscous. So