Moroccan Grey Mullet Stuffed with Swiss Chard
HÛT M’AMMAR BEL SILQ
MOROCCO
Moroccans who live by the sea tend to prefer fish to meat whereas those living inland don’t consume much fish, which makes sense given Moroccan cooks’ insistence on both seasonality and freshness of ingredients. In the old days, cooks baked their fish in ashes, often stuffing it beforehand with rice, couscous and dates, potatoes, or greens like in this recipe. Serve with good bread.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 grey mullets (about 14 ounces/400 g each) or 2 mullets (2 pounds/900 g each)
1 pound 12 ounces (800 g) Swiss chard, both leaves and stems, sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) strips
7 ounces (200 g) purple or Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place on a large platter. Then rub with the chermoula both inside and out. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, in the refrigerator.
2. Put the sliced Swiss chard and halved olives in a steamer basket and steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chard is just done. Mix well. Remove the steamer basket, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let the chard and olives cool. (There is no need to season the chard as the fish marinade will eventually flavor it.)
3. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
4. Cover the bottom of an oven-to-table baking dish large enough to hold all the fish with the parsley. Fill each fish with as much Swiss chard as it will take (see Note), not forgetting the head cavity, and lay the fish on the parsley. Pour any chermoula that is left in the dish over the fish and roast for 20 to 25 minutes for the 4 smaller fish, or 25 to 30 minutes for the 2 large fish. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
NOTE: If there is any Swiss chard left over, heat it gently with a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve it alongside the fish.