Best 4 North African Chermoula Marinade Recipes

Welcome to the world of North African flavors! Chermoula marinade is a vibrant and aromatic blend of spices, herbs, and citrus that adds a burst of flavor to grilled, roasted, or steamed meats, seafood, and vegetables. Its origins can be traced to Morocco, where it is widely used in traditional dishes. This flavorful marinade is a culinary symphony, combining the warmth of cumin, the smokiness of paprika, the piquancy of coriander, the freshness of parsley and cilantro, the brightness of lemon juice, and a hint of garlic and ginger. Let's delve into the realm of chermoula and discover the best recipe for this enticing marinade that will transform your dishes into culinary masterpieces.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CHERMOULA

Chermoula image

Chermoula is a North African marinade, used especially for fish. It also makes a great dipping sauce or salad dressing. This recipe has plenty of tang and has been adapted from one by Julie Le Clerc. I use coriander (cilantro) rather than parsley and Lee Kum Kee's Chili Garlic Sauce rather than a small red chili. I like the end product so much that I can eat it with a spoon. Yummo!

Provided by Leggy Peggy

Categories Vegetable

Time 10m

Yield 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh cilantro or 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
3 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 teaspoon paprika, ground
1 small red chili pepper, seeded (or 1 teaspoon of chili sauce)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 lemon, juice of
1/4 cup olive oil

Steps:

Pound all ingredients together in a large mortar and pestle or buzz in a food processor. You want a rough-textured paste. Note: I use all the coriander stems.
Chermoula will keep several days in the fridge.

CHERMOULA-MARINATED MACKEREL

Chermoula-marinated mackerel image

Chermoula is a North African marinade, used to flavour fish. The recipe varies, but this one contains paprika, making in Moroccan

Provided by Maria Elia

Categories Dinner, Main course

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 whole mackerel , scaled, gutted and cleaned
olive oil , for brushing
lemon wedges, to serve
1 garlic clove , roughly chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp saffron
1 red chilli , roughly chopped, seeds in or out - up to you
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
pinch chilli powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
50g coriander , roughly chopped
3 tbsp light olive oil

Steps:

Pound the ingredients for the filling together using a pestle and mortar. Make 3 diagonal incisions along both sides of each mackerel, then push in the filling. Chill for up to 2 hrs before cooking.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the chermoula, place the garlic, spices, lemon juice, coriander and a pinch of sea salt into a blender. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending.
Brush the mackerel with a little olive oil on both sides, then place on a hot griddle or frying pan and sear for 2 mins on each side. Carefully transfer to an oven tray and bake for about 10 mins, or until the mackerel is cooked through. Drizzle with some of the chermoula and serve with the Carrot, olive & lemon couscous (recipe, below), lemon wedges and the remaining chermoula on the side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 698 calories, Fat 58 grams fat, SaturatedFat 10 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 6 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Protein 40 grams protein, Sodium 0.36 milligram of sodium

SPICED HERB MARINADE FOR FISH

Spiced Herb Marinade for Fish image

Chermoula is a traditional North African marinade for fish, especially in Morocco where, surprisingly, it's often used with shad. It has become very popular recently with North American restaurant chefs as a quick and easy (and cheap!) way to add lots of flavor to bland fish. Many old-fashioned recipes don't call for cilantro and parsley at all, but the fresh flavor of the green herbs adds a great deal to the preparation.

Provided by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Categories Garlic Bake Marinate Lemon Salmon Cilantro Parsley

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 large bunch freshly cilantro
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
8 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat blade of a knife
1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh ground cumin, or more to taste
1 tablespoon very fragrant crushed dried red pepper, or more to taste
1 tablespoon ground sweet red pepper paprika, or more to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar (lemon is better, I think)
6 to 8 small salmon steaks, each weighing about 6 ounces

Steps:

Chop the cilantro and parsley leaves together to a very fine mince. You should have 1 cup of minced herbs. Transfer to a saucepan.
Crush the garlic with the sea salt in a mortar, or using the back of a spoon in a small bowl, to make a paste. Stir in the cumin, dried pepper, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add to the saucepan with the herbs and mix well.
Have the fish steaks ready in a baking dish large enough to hold them all in one layer.
Set the herb mixture over medium-low heat and warm until it is very hot, but not boiling. Taste and adjust the seasoning. When it is the way you want it, pour the warm marinade over the fish steaks. Cover with plastic and set aside for an hour or so.
When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the plastic wrap and transfer the fish with their marinade to the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the fish is done, basting every 5 minutes or so with the marinade.
Serve immediately, spooning a little of the marinade over each serving.

NORTH AFRICAN MARINADE

North African Marinade image

This marinade is quite versitalie. It can be used on seafood, poultry, beef or pork. This makes enough marinade for 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of meat.

Provided by Stacey Sweet

Categories African

Time 27m

Yield 1 Cup

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup paprika
1 tablespoon coriander seed
2 teaspoons craked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chicken stock or 2 tablespoons water

Steps:

Place onion, garlic, ginger, spices and salt in a skillet. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until spices are fragrant and lightly roasted. Remove from heat.
In a blender combine the spice mixture, lemon juice, and puree to a smooth paste.
Spread paste over seafood, poultry, beef or pork and marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight for best results.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 791.9, Fat 63.2, SaturatedFat 9, Cholesterol 0.9, Sodium 7055.2, Carbohydrate 66.5, Fiber 28.4, Sugar 15.2, Protein 13.1

Tips:

Use fresh herbs whenever possible for the most flavorful marinade. Cilantro, parsley, and mint are essential, but you can also add other herbs like oregano, thyme, or rosemary.
Adjust the amount of garlic and cumin to your taste. If you like a more garlicky marinade, add more cloves. If you prefer a more subtle cumin flavor, use less.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of oil. Olive oil is the traditional choice, but you can also use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or even walnut oil.
Be sure to let the meat marinate for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 24 hours. This will give the flavors time to penetrate the meat.
When you're ready to cook the meat, be sure to shake off any excess marinade. This will help prevent the marinade from burning and will also help the meat cook more evenly.

Conclusion:

Chermoula is a versatile marinade that can be used on a variety of meats, fish, and vegetables. It's a great way to add flavor and moisture to your dishes, and it's also very easy to make. So next time you're looking for a new way to spice up your meals, give chermoula a try!