Chraime
Serves 4
Chraime is a north african dish in which fish fillets or steaks are braised in a tomato-and-pepper-based sauce. More soup than stew, it is typically served at the Friday night Shabbat meal, which means the fish needs to be sturdy enough to be cooked in advance and served at room temperature. I like to use whole black grouper because its dense flesh makes it very forgiving if you happen to cook it for a minute or two longer than you intended. Red snapper or any other firm white fish works well, too.
Being Moroccan, this dish is spicy and full flavored, with a big personality. Using both dried and fresh peppers gives the stew a deep flavor that’s smoky, fresh, and fruity all at once. It’s also a great way to make an impact with a relatively small amount of fish. Just make sure to have plenty of bread around to sop up every last delicious drop of sauce.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 2 Italian long hot peppers, diced (remove the seeds for a less spicy dish)
- ¼ cup ground Aleppo pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- 1 (2-pound) whole red snapper or black grouper
- 3 parsley sprigs
- 3 cilantro sprigs plus ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
● Preheat the oven to 350°F. Warm the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, red bell peppers, long hot peppers, Aleppo pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and the garlic has become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water and bring the mixture to a simmer.
● Season the fish aggressively inside and out with salt and stuff the cavity with the parsley and cilantro sprigs. Put the fish in the skillet, cover tightly with foil, and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
● Transfer the fish to a large cutting board and pull it into bite-size chunks, discarding the skin and bones. Fold the fish into the sauce, top with the chopped cilantro, and serve.
