Preserved lemon and olives are a favorite combination for fish dishes in Morocco and other North African countries.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/3 teaspoon powdered ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron

　　4 fish steaks or fillets—you can use haddock, cod, turbot, hake, catfish, or salmon

　　Salt and pepper

　　1/2–1 preserved lemon (page 459), rinsed and cut into small pieces

　　12 green olives

　　2 tablespoons capers, soaked to remove their excess salt or vinegar (optional)

　　3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

　　

Step 1

Heat the butter with the oil in a large skillet and stir in the ginger and saffron.

　　

Step 2

Put in the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the preserved lemon, green olives, capers, and cilantro. Cook at a high temperature very briefly first, to seal the fish, then lower the heat to finish the cooking until done to your liking, turning the fish over once. Fillets take 3–6 minutes, steaks about 6–8. The fish should flake but still be a little underdone.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf