Moroccan bream recipe

Ingredients

• 4 × 300 g whole bream, heads and tails removed, scaled and gutted
• Olive oil
• 1 big pinch of saffron
• 4 spring onions
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp harissa, plus extra to serve

• 1 mug (300 g) of couscous
• 1 preserved lemon
• 70 g dried apricots
• 6 jarred red peppers
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 pomegranate

• 2 tbsp shelled pistachios
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 heaped tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp rosewater

1. Toast the pistachios and sesame seeds in the pan for 1 minute, then remove and place the pan back on the heat.
2. Score the fish in a crisscross fashion on both sides down to the bone.
3. Season all over with salt and pepper and add to the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, then cook for 3 minutes on each side.
4. Put 1 mug of couscous, 2 mugs of boiling water and a pinch of salt into a bowl and cover.
5. Cover the saffron with 150 ml boiling water.
6. Blitz the preserved lemon, apricots, peppers and half the coriander in the processor until fine, then spoon into a bowl, squeeze in the juice of ½ the pomegranate, mix, season to taste and put aside.
7. Slice the trimmed spring onions and add to the fish with the thyme sprigs, harissa, saffron and soaking water.
8. Scrunch up and wet a sheet of greaseproof paper and tuck it over the fish.
9. Spoon the yoghurt into a small bowl, then marble through the rose water and a little harissa.
10. Fluff up the couscous, tip it over a warm platter or board and spoon over the salsa.
11. Lay the fish on top, spoon over some of the juices, then scatter over the toasted nuts and seeds.
12. Hold the second pomegranate half in the palm of your hand and bash the back of it with a spoon so the seeds tumble over the salad.
13. Finish with the rest of the coriander leaves.