Harira
Morocco's most popular soup – a tomato-based lentil soup – is served here with cod. Be sure to soak the chickpeas the night before.
Ingredients
- 120ml/4fl oz vegetable oil
- 2 large onions, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 bunch flatleaf parsley, leaves and stalks separated and chopped
- 1 bunch coriander, leaves and stalks separated and chopped
- 4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 lemons, juice only
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1.5 litre/2½ pints vegetable stock
- 340g/12oz dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in a bowl of water
- 200g/7oz green lentils
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the cod
- 6 x 200g/7oz cod fillets
- 50ml/2fl oz vegetable oil
- 1½ lemons, juice of ½ and 1 cut into 6 wedges
To serve
- good-quality olive oil, for drizzling
Method
Heat the oil over a medium heat in a pan and then fry the onions until softened. Add the garlic and celery and sweat until fragrant and golden.
Add all the parsley and coriander stalks (set aside the leaves) and stir, then add the tomatoes and half of the lemon juice. Mix well, stir in the cumin and turmeric, and a bit of salt and pepper.
Drain the chickpeas and rinse in a sieve under cold running water. Add the stock, drained chickpeas, and the lentils, bring to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cook for at least 1½ hours, or until all the pulses are nice and soft.
To finish the soup, add the remaining lemon juice, coriander, parsley leaves and taste to check the seasoning – add salt and pepper if necessary. Blend using a stick blender until smooth.
To make the cod, heat a large skillet over a high heat, pat the cod dry and season with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan, place the fish skin side down and press down. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
Flip the fish and add a squeeze of the lemon into the pan (not directly on the skin, we want to keep it crispy!)
Divide the soup among 6 shallow bowls, place three pieces of cod in each serving. Garnish with the coriander leaves, a splash of olive oil and the lemon wedges – because there's no such thing as too sour with this fantastic soup!
