Moroccan Sardine Balls
An authentic Moroccan recipe for fish meatballs poached in a zesty homemade tomato sauce.
Ingredients
For tomato sauce
- 1 kg fresh ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil – or more to taste
- 1 small onion – finely chopped
- 1 small green pepper – finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic – or more to taste
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt – or to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper – or to taste
- 1 or 2 bay leaves
- cayenne – to taste optional
- whole chili peppers – to taste optional
For the Fish Balls
- 500 g boneless fish fillets – preferably sardine or whiting
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic – pressed or grated
Instructions
- Peel, seed, and finely chop tomatoes. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a tagine or skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onion and green pepper until tender.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, spices, and cayenne or chili pepper. Simmer covered for about 30 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Adjust seasoning and texture if needed.
- Fish Balls:
- While sauce cooks, prepare fish balls.
- In a food processor, combine fish fillets, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and spices. Pulse until finely minced and seasoning is distributed.
- Wet hands and shape small fish balls.
- Add fish balls to tomato sauce, simmer covered for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
- Serve directly from tagine or pan with Moroccan bread on the side
Nutrition
Calories: 2363kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 100g | Fat: 191g