Harissa Baked Fish

Every week for Shuki and Louisa, I make a big batch of super spicy Harissa to sell at the farmers market. It's one of my favourite things we sell. Made of a mixture of dried red chillies, roasted capsicums and spices, it's a little different to the traditional Tunisian version you find in little tubes at shops.

The roasted capsicums gives a nice freshness and even though I can't usually handle super hot foods, I find that the spices balance this one out and the way it's eaten, mixed with mayo on a sandwich, a tiny bit on eggs for breakfast or a spoonful in soup means that you get a nice kick without setting your mouth on fire. While I can't share the actual recipe for our Harissa (it's my bread and butter!), there are plenty of great other recipes out there and you can buy it conveniently pre made in the stores.

Once you've got the Harissa made/bought, this one's a super easy, knock out dish to serve. By slicing the potatoes thinly, you don't have to peel them and they cook really quickly. Then all you do is rub the fish with harissa, bake on the potatoes and serve with parsley, capers and a bit of lemon. Baking the fish atop the potatoes means you get some lovely crisp, chip like spuds and some, soggy with harissa fish juice ones. A really nice thing if you ask me!

Harissa Baked Fish

Serves 2

2 large potatoes
1 tbs of oil for potatoes + 1 tbs for the fish
2 fillets of fish
1-2 tbs harissa(depending on how hot you like it)
2 handfuls of parsely leaves
1 tbs salted capers, rinsed
1 lemon
Extra olive oil, to finish

Preheat the oven to 240C. Slice the potatoes into rounds and lay on a piece of baking paper. Rub both sides with olive oil, season and bake for around 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooking through and beginning to colour. Remove from the oven.
Mix your harissa with the extra olive oil and rub all over the fish. Place back in the oven and bake for around 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Finish with parsley, capers and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges.