Chermoula
Chermoulais a traditional North African marinade for fish, especially in Morocco where, surprisingly, it's often used with shad. It has become very popular recently with North American restaurant chefs as a quick and easy (and cheap!) way to add lots of flavor to bland fish. Many old-fashioned recipes don't call for cilantro and parsley at all, but the fresh flavor of the green herbs adds a great deal to the preparation.
Instead of shad, which is hard to find even when it's in season, and very difficult to bone, I use salmon steaks or fillets. You could substitute many other kinds of fish, including swordfish, halibut, haddock, and even fresh-water fish, such as catfish and perch.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
Step 1
Chop the cilantro and parsley leaves together to a very fine mince. You should have 1 cup of minced herbs. Transfer to a saucepan.
Step 2
Crush the garlic with the sea salt in a mortar, or using the back of a spoon in a small bowl, to make a paste. Stir in the cumin, dried pepper, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add to the saucepan with the herbs and mix well.
Step 3
Have the fish steaks ready in a baking dish large enough to hold them all in one layer.
Step 4
Set the herb mixture over medium-low heat and warm until it is very hot, but not boiling. Taste and adjust the seasoning. When it is the way you want it, pour the warm marinade over the fish steaks. Cover with plastic and set aside for an hour or so.
Step 5
When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 6
Remove the plastic wrap and transfer the fish with their marinade to the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the fish is done, basting every 5 minutes or so with the marinade.
Step 7
Serve immediately, spooning a little of the marinade over each serving.
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Reviews (81)
Back to TopThis is a great recipe! I dialed back the amounts, didn't cook the marinade first, and put it on simple haddock that had been frozen. We are fussy east coasters who would usually not like fish that wasn't fresh but this herb intense marinade won over a group of equally fussy chefs. I also put in less than a teaspoon of the red pepper and still had some heat to the dish.
Anonymous
Maine
10/7/2019
Excellent! I didn't have any fresh parsley so I just snipped some cilantro and I only had smoked paprika. Don't be afraid to tinker (in my book, all great recipes can take it). It turned out awesome-sauce! I've never warmed a marinade before and I think somehow that helps it soak in better? Thanks!
PghPammy
Pittsburgh, pa
6/2/2015
This is a delicious marinade. The best I have found in a long time. I'm not used too baking fish and I over cooked it. So next time I will be more cautious. Also, I may give broiling with a foil a try.
Linda1721
Julian, CA
2/16/2015
Excellent as is. Made with salmon which held up well to the strong flavor of the marinade.
katelambert
4/26/2014
I've made this recipe twice now. The first time I used 1 Tbsp. of cumin, the 2nd time I used just a tsp. Also used a blend of both lemon and lime juices - heavier on the lime as it really makes the marinade pop and goes great with cilantro. Both times I reduced the chili flakes to less than an 1/8th of a tsp. because the fam. are lightweights when it comes to heat in a dish - and also because I feel too much heat overpowers all the other flavors to the point where you can't taste anything but the heat. The 2nd time I made this recipe I felt the flavors were more in balance and everyone enjoyed the dish. Both times, I followed the advice of one reviewer and did not cook the marinade first. We are fortunate to be on the coast, so can access freshly caught fish. The choices I used were fresh albacore, and fresh barracuda... both strong fish flavors in their own right. This recipe enhanced the flavors of both fish choices.
rose_hoppe
Los Osos, CA
11/21/2013
一个惊喜!这不是伟大的准备ared. It wasn't until after being grilled on Sockeye salmon (on a sheet of aluminum foil)that it really was great. So don't judge it too early; wait until it is cooked. Even tasted great a week later after being frozen with the leftovers.
NCostlow
7/12/2013
Have made this recipe a couple of times. I find it delicious and versatile. I question the wisdom of putting delicate green herbs in hot oil, so I changed the order to: oil, red pepper, cumin, garlic, paprika, fresh herbs, lemon juice. Personally I prefer the marinade using this order.
Anonymous
Toronto, Canada
6/25/2013
I love this recipe. It is so tasty and relatively easy to make. It is unfortunate that some people have given it poor reviews when they did not have all the necessary ingredients to make it. I usually make it with salmon but I have tried it with other fish and it is delicious. Give it a try. You won't regret it. Enjoy!
Anonymous
11/4/2012
Just love this recipe! I have used it repeatedly with various fish, including salmon, tilapia, char and halibut. It is quick, easy and very tasty. It is now in my personal recipe box.
Anonymous
Virginia
2/19/2012
My Moroccan Jewish husband LOVES this fish. He told me to rate it with 4 forks and to make fish this way all the time. It was a little spicy for my American taste, but it tasted authentic (i.e. like something his mom would make). Prep was quick and easy, I had all the ingredients on hand without preplanning and my honey loved it, so 4 forks it is!
Anonymous
Israel
12/10/2011
Excellent marinade. Will be using it as my main marinade for any fish grilling or broiling.
Jorgito
New Jersey
5/5/2011
I made this a few yrs ago, and came across it today. I think I need to make it again, nice way to use some of herbs available at the store this time of yr.
JavaDee
Austin
1/20/2011
Fabulous! I made it as written, except that my cumin wasn't freshly ground and the red pepper may not have been very fragrant. I used steelhead trout, and the only complaint I got was that the delicious marinade overpowered the flavor of the fish, which was probably true, but I didn't mind. I've been trying to figure out how anyone could say the recipe was bland and have concluded that those reviewers must have discarded the marinade, rather than eating the fish with the spices on top. It's like eating beef with chimichurri -- don't discard the "marinade"!
Anonymous
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2010
This was really disappointing. The only thing I changed was the use of dried cumin instead of fresh. With all the 4 star reviews I was expecting something exceptional. The salmon turned out very bland and boring. Don't know what happened but I doubt I'll make this again.
jk20165
5/22/2010
Excellent recipe. I used it with Orange Roughy. Everyone raved. However, I left out the pepper flakes b/c I didn't want any heat to it. Added a bit of chili powder instead. Yummy.
Anonymous
4/5/2010
