My uncle Menasse loved a good dark, spicy fish dish. Whenever our extended family gathered around the Friday night table, I enjoyed watching his excitement when the fish course was served. He was the one who would fish out the long hot pepper from the serving platter. With pride and a little defiance, he would place it on his plate and eat it alongside the fish, the potatoes, carrots and garbanzos. When he was done eating, he would lean back with contentment and tell us just how spicy that pepper was. And he would always compliment my Maman or my Aunt Clara, his wife, at how delicious the fish had turned out.

Those moments remain some of my fondest childhood memories. Whenever I prepare a rich red tomato sauce for fish, I still think of him. I can picture his big brown eyes and his wide smile, savoring every bite.

It’s fascinating to me how Moroccan fish has become such a firmly entrenched tradition across the Jewish world. The story is intertwined in the history of Sephardic refugees who arrived after the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. The Mediterranean cooking method of tomatoes simmered with garlic and olive oil merged with the North African ingredients of their neighbors. Paprika, cumin, harissa and preserved lemon became integral, producing a distinctive Moroccan Jewish style of cooking.

Fresh fish was readily available in the coastal cities of Tangier, Essaouira, Larache and Casablanca, so preparing fish in sauces seasoned with chili, garlic, preserved lemon and fresh tomatoes became a dependable and delicious part of the Friday night table.

—Rachel

I absolutely love preparing dag chareef, spicy fish in Hebrew. My family absolutely loves it. My sister-in-law’s father, who grew up in a Yerushalmi Sephardic home, lights up when I bring it to the table. Young and old, everyone loves fish prepared in the North African style.

I have to admit making this recipe gives me special satisfaction, I love recipes that start with sautéed garlic, onions and tomatoes. I love layering the dish with healthy spices, hearty potatoes and sweet carrot sticks, all perfectly placed in the skillet. I love that the fish is nestled in the sauce and that the cilantro artfully covers the fish. I love that the rich flavors infuse into the fish and veggies.

Mostly I love that it disappears soon after it is served.

We made this recipe Passover-friendly because who doesn’t need an easy one-skillet dish that is healthy and delicious!?!

—Sharon

Spicy Salmon

1 2-3 lb fillet of salmon, cut into 2” squares

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large yellow onions, finely sliced

3 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 Tbsp sweet paprika

1 Tbsp turmeric

2 tsp garlic powder

4 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced into thin circles

5 Tbsp tomato paste

1 jalapeño, cut into half and seeded

2 cups water, divided

6 small russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4” thick circles

4 medium carrots, sliced into 2” batons

Drizzle of olive oil

1 tsp hot paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 bunch cilantro

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.

Season the onions with salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric and garlic powder, then stir well. Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste and sauté for two minutes.

Pour 1 cup of water into the skillet and stir to mix well, then bring the sauce to a slow boil.

Place the potatoes in a single layer, then add the carrots to the outer edges of the skillet. Nestle the salmon pieces over the potatoes. Add the remaining water. Drizzle olive oil over the salmon, then season with additional paprika and turmeric.

Place the cilantro over the salmon, cover tightly and simmer over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Follow them
on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food. Website sephardicspicegirls.com/full-recipes.