Chraime
Chraime
by: Lior Lev Sercarz
Chraime is a traditional North African dish that’s also popular in Israel and other Middle Eastern countries. It’s essentially fish simmered in a thick tomato sauce. My mom prepared it only for the holidays and occasionally for Shabbat, but I make it all the time. The sauce—even the whole dish—can be done ahead, so it’s easy for entertaining or weeknight dinners. To make my sauce more complex, I add spices, of course, but also diced lemon, rinds and all. The lemon pith lends a nice bite and intriguing bitterness to the tomatoes, which I cook only enough to retain a pop.
Serves 6
Photo : Thomas Schauer
Ingredients
Spice Blend
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (2 grams)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (2 grams)
2 teaspoons ground turmeric (2 grams)
1⁄2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (1 gram)
Finely grind the coriander and cumin together and immediately mix with the turmeric and Aleppo. Or mix 3⁄4 teaspoon pre-ground coriander and 3⁄4 teaspoon pre-ground cumin with the turmeric and Aleppo.
Chraime
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
6 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless cod or halibut fillets (about 11⁄2 inches thick)
1 lemon, ends trimmed, seeded, and cut into 1⁄4-inch dice, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving
1⁄4 cup tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
Kosher salt
1 large bunch cilantro, stems thinly sliced and leaves coarsely chopped
Directions
1. To make the chraime: Sprinkle half the spice blend all over the fish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 6 hours.
2. Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with oil (2 to 3 tablespoons). Add the garlic and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the remaining spice blend, stir well, and add the diced lemon. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, raise the heat to medium-high, and season to taste with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Reserve some cilantro for garnish and stir in the remainder of the cilantro. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the fish all over with salt. Uncover the sauce; it should be bubbling slightly. Push the fish into the sauce so that all but the very tops are submerged. Cover and cook until the fish is almost opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
5. Divide the fish and sauce among individual serving dishes. Garnish with the reserved cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.
