Jumping fish

Chraime with eggplant, fennel and plaice fillet

Vegetable stew with plaice fillet
  • 2 Recipe - persons
  • Recipe - time: 25 minutes
  • Recipe - difficulty

Recipe - ingredients

  • 2 peppers, seeds removed, cut into 1.2 inch pieces
  • 1 chili, cut into rings
  • 2 salted anchovy fillets (from pot or tin)
  • 4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
  • ½ eggplant, cut into pieces of 0.8 inch
  • 1 fennel, coarsely cut
  • 2 tsp cumin seed
  • 1 tsp fennel seed
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika powder
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tin of peeled tomatoes (14-ounce)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup fish broth
  • juice of 1/4 lemon
  • 2 plaice fillets of 3 1/2 -ounce each
  • 3 sprigs of coriander, leaves picked
  • light olive oil for frying
  • salt and pepper
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • water

Recipe - how do you make it

This recipe comes from the new cookbook of our founder Bart van Olphen – Veggies & Fish.

Chraime is a recipe inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine. You stew the vegetables on low heat for a long time and add all kinds of flavors. The fish is gently cooked in spicy tomato sauce.

Recipe - steps

  • 1 Heat a splash of olive oil in a deep frying pan with a thick bottom and fry the peppers, chili, anchovies, garlic, eggplant and fennel in it for 10 minutes, until everything is soft but without getting color.
  • 2 Finely grind the cumin, fennel and caraway seeds in a mortar. Mix in the paprika powder. Add the tomato puree. Finely pound the peeled tomatoes in a bowl with a pestle masher and add to the pan as well. Put the heat on low and add the bay leaf. Let the sauce simmer for 40 - 45 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a soupspoon of fish stock. Taste the sauce and add lemon juice to taste.

  • 3 Dip the plaice fillets in the sauce. Cook the fish for 10 - 15 minutes on low heat, the sauce should just simmer a little.
  • 4 Meanwhile, make the techina by mixing the lemon juice and garlic with the tahini. The sauce becomes a little thicker. Make a dressing by adding water drop by drop while mixing with a whisk.
  • 5 Sprinkle the chraime with the coriander and serve with the techina.

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