For this delightful and simple Moroccan dish, use fish fillets—monkfish or any firm-fleshed fish such as bream, turbot, haddock, cod—and have them skinned.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 1/2 pounds fish fillets, skinned

　　Salt

　　10 ounces dry vermicelli

　　Salt

　　1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads or powdered saffron

　　4–5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Pepper

　　4 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro

　　

Step 1

Poach the fish in barely simmering (not boiling) salted water for 5–10 minutes, until the flesh looks opaque when you cut into it.

　　

Step 2

At the same time, break the vermicelli in your hand into small pieces and cook in about 5 cups of boiling salted water with the saffron until just tender, stirring vigorously so that the vermicelli do not stick together. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the saffron water to use as a sauce. (Keep the remainder if you like—there is very little left—to pour into a soup or a stew.) Beat the olive oil into the water, season with salt and pepper, and add the parsley or cilantro.

　　

Step 3

Serve the fish on a bed of vermicelli, with the sauce poured over.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf