Chermoula Red Snapper with Peanut Butter Rice

This dish is a combination of a lot of different influences. Meals like this that make me appreciate the exposure I've had to food from my background, visiting restaurants, reading, and exploring in the kitchen.

Let’s start with the peanut butter rice!

This is a favoured way of preparing rice in Zimbabwe. It’s an easy, affordable way to add protein to the rice when there is no meat, but even when there is adds an interesting dimension to rice.  If you haven’t tried peanut butter rice, I encourage it of course!

The second most important thing, the fish and the marinade!

Chermoula is a herb marinade used to season fish and vegetables in Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and other parts of North Africa. It adds a rich taste to even the mildest fish. Once you make it you will be using it forever.

As for the red snapper, once clean, stuff it with simple herbs and add some lemon slices for favour on the inside. You can also get it from the butcher prepared for you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add seasoning!

Ingredients

Chermoula and fish:

1 red snapper, cleaned

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon zest

4 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

4 lemon slices

1 thyme sprig

1 parsley spring

Peanut butter rice:

1 cup white rice

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 hot cup water

1 3/4 cups water

1 vegetable sachet or bouillon

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

Beans:

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 can pinto beans (sugar beans if you can get them, that was my first choice!)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 vegetable bouillon, crushed

1 tablespoon Scotch bonnet pepper sauce

Instructions

Prepare the chermoula. In a blender or food processor, add the parsley, cilantro, lemon zest, paprika, cumin, and chilli powder. Mix on low while adding the olive oil to create a paste, so don’t blend until it turns into a liquid! If you accidentally do, add some more parsley to thicken. 

For the red snapper, if it isn’t already, stuff the fish with the herb sprigs and lemon slices. Baste the fish on both sides with the chermoula and chill what remains for later. Bake the fish at 450F on each side for 10-15 minutes. When done, the fish should flake easily using a fork. You can also check the internal temperature and go by what’s recommended. Set aside to rest.

While the fish bakes, prepare your rice. Cook the rice with garlic and olive oil before adding the broth sachet. Follow up with 1 3/4 cups water (or whatever rice quantity you want according to the package) and simmer with a lid until the water has evaporated - you want your rice on the drier side because the peanut butter will be added. 

Mix the hot water with the peanut butter to make a smooth paste and mix it into the rice. Steam with the lid on for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. 

For the beans, sauté them in the oil, bouillon, and spices for about 3 minutes, then simmer in water for about 5-7 minutes. Since canned beans are cooked this should not take long otherwise the beans will break down into mush.

Use the chermoula to baste the cooked snapper and serve with the hot beans and peanut butter rice, feeds 2!