Name: Fish Couscous from Djerba (Couscous Djerbien au Poisson)
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds (optional); 2 turnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (optional); 6 cups water or fish stock; 1 cup cooked chickpeas; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 stalks celery, chopped; 6 cloves garlic, minced; ¼ cup olive oil; 2 onions, chopped; salt to taste; 2 to 3 pounds mixed fish, cut into thick pieces or steaks; 1 tablespoon harissa; couscous cooked with water or part fish broth, seasoned with a little olive oil or butter; 3 or 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional); fresh lemon juice to taste (optional); 8 to 12 small new potatoes, halved (optional)

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Saffron Shores

By Joyce Goldstein

Published 2002

About

In Tunisia, fish couscous can be a simple affair or an elaborate presentation. Chickpeas are usually added, along with assorted vegetables. In Djerba, five vegetables are used: onions, garlic, tomatoes or tomato paste, green bell peppers, and chickpeas. For Rosh Hashanah you could do this with the classic seven vegetables: onions, tomatoes, sweet potatoes or pumpkin, chickpeas, carrots, turnips, zucchini or greens. In some versions, the sauce is pureed and the plate decorated with strips of