Khalid Dahbi’s recipe for chermoula hake with grilled courgettes

Hake is my favourite fish from the Atlantic – my father used to walk me down to the Saturday fish markets in Rabat, Morocco, looking for the best catch. This dish reminds me of my family home, the country I grew up in and the time when my passion for cooking first began to grow. I still love finding the best produce and marinating the fish in this robust chermoula marinade to serve with grilled courgettes.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 6 mins

2 boneless and skinless fillets of hake
2 medium courgettes

For the chermoula:
80ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp Moroccan paprika ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp cumin
Salt and cracked pepper, to taste

For the dressing:
1 tomato
3 tbsp argan oil
A few snips of tarragon

To make the chermoula, set aside the lemon zest, put the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Taste for seasoning, then add the hake and marinate for up to 15 minutes.

For the dressing, plunge the tomato into boiling water for 10 seconds. Once cool, remove the skin and deseed, then finely dice the flesh. Mix it with the argan oil and tarragon.

Place the hake in a steamer with the lemon zest and steam for about six minutes. Meanwhile, cut the courgettes into ribbons using a vegetable peeler and cook on a griddle until soft.

Garnish the hake with the courgettes and drizzle with the dressing to serve.

Khalid Dahbi is the head chef and owner of Beso, London