Catalot Tunisian Recipes

2 Pounds Thick Fish Fillets -- any white fish

Salt And Pepper -- to taste

Flour -- for dusting

Oil -- for frying

1 Small Onion -- finely chopped

2 Cloves Garlic -- finely chopped

1 Cup Tomato Sauce

1/2 Teaspoon Harissa

1 Medium Bay Leaf

1 Cup Pitted Greek Olives

1 Lemon Lemon Juice

Parsley -- chopped for garnish

Season fish with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and fry in hot olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Transfer fish to a side dish. Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for a few minutes. Add tomato sauce, harissa, bay leaf and 1/2 cup water. Cook for 10 minutes. Add olives and fish fillets and continue cooking, uncovered, until the fish is tender and the sauce thick. Add lemon juice to taste. Discard the bay leaf. Serve, sprinkled with parsley.

Harissa

1 Medium Ancho Pepper

1 Medium Guajillos

1 Medium Chipotle Pepper

1 Medium New Mexico Green Chiles -- dried

1 Clove Garlic -- finely chopped

1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander

1 Teaspoon Ground Caraway

1 Medium Roasted Red Bell Pepper -- chopped

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Olive Oil

Place dried chiles in bowl and pour boiling water over. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Grind chiles in food processor with garlic, spices, red bell pepper and salt. Add enough oil to make a thick paste. Pack the mixture into a small jar. Cover harissa with thin layer of olive oil. Will keep in refrigerator for 3 weeks under a thin layer of oil. Check periodically.

Table Harissa sauce:
Combine 4 teaspoons of the above harissa sauce with 4 teaspoons of water and the juice of 1 lemon. Serve in small bowl and use as dipping sauce for fish or other meats.

Maacouda With Potatoes

1 Pound Potatoes -- mashed

2 Medium Onions

4 Ounces Parsley -- chopped

1 Tablespoon Butter

Salt And Pepper -- to taste

6 Large Eggs -- beaten

Saute onions and parsley in butter until onions are brown. when onions are cooled, combine all ingedients, including potatoes. Pour into 10 inch greased round pan, Bake for 20 minutes at 450*.

Maasems (Fatima's Little Fingers)

2 Medium Hard Boiled Eggs -- chopped

1 Large Cooked Chicken Breast -- chopped

1/3 Cup Parsley -- chopped

2 Medium Eggs -- beaten

2 Tablespoons Parmesian Cheese -- grated

Salt And Pepper -- to taste

9 Or 18 Wrappers -- see note

Olive Oil -- for frying

Lemon Wedges -- for garnish

In mixing bowl, combine both types of eggs, chicken, parsley, cheese salt and pepper. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Wrap mixture in wrappers, sealing edges with water. Fry in 1 inch oil. Until crisp. Turning as needed. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

NOTES : wrappers can be: 9 medium egg/spring roll wrappers or 3 phyllo sheets

Tunisian Couscous

4 Pounds Lamb -- chopped

4 Large Onion -- chopped

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

6 Ounces Tomato Paste

2 Large Tomatoes -- chopped

1 Tab Cumin

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Curry Powder

1 Teaspoon Cayenne

5 Cloves Garlic

Salt -- to taste

2 Medium Bell Pepper -- chopped

1 Large Butternut Squash

4 Medium Turnips -- chopped

4 Medium Carrot -- stripped

1 Pound Onion -- finely chopped

1 Pound Potatoes

2 Cups Dry Couscous -- cooked

2 Medium Green Onion -- chopped

3 Sprigs Parsley -- chopped

2 Medium Lemons

In a large stewpot, brown lamb and first set of onions. add tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. add tomatoes, spices, green peppers, and reduce heat to simmer. after 15 minutes, add the vegetables plus enough water to come within 3 inches of their tops. cook until meat and vegetables are tender. serve on individual plates over couscous. garnish with green onion, parsley and lemons.

Other Recommended Cookbooks for Brazilian Cooking

• The Great Book of Couscous : Classic Cuisines of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia by Copeland Marks
• Cooking the African Way (Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks)
• African Cooking: A Black Heritage
• The African Cookbook
• Taste of Africa