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Middle Eastern Blackened Salmon with Couscous and Tagine Vegetables

A vibrant, spice-led dish combining pan-blackened salmon with a Middle Eastern twist, served with fluffy couscous and rich vegetable tagine. The tagine vegetables are enriched with a little harissa, tomato and lemon to bring depth and balance to the dish. Finished with lemon, herbs, and sumac
Shop-bought tagine paste provides a good base but benefits from added acidity and heat. Adjust with harissa and lemon to taste.
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Blackened Salmon

Tagine Vegetables

  • 1 aubergine cut into chunks
  • 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
  • 1 red onion cut into wedges
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 1 tin chickpeas drained
  • 1 - 2 tbsp Belazu tagine paste
  • 1-2 tsp harissa paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste optional
  • 2 1tbsp olive oil
  • 50 ml water or vegetable stock
  • fresh coriander chopped
  • ½ lemon

Couscous

  • 120 grams couscous
  • 150 ml vegetable stock or water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt to taste

To Finish

  • 1 tsp sumac
  • extra olive oil
  • yogurt or tahini optional

Instructions
 

Roasted Vegetables

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Place the aubergine, sweet potato, red onion and carrots on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat.
  • Roast for around 25 minutes until starting to soften and take on colour.
  • Remove the tray from the oven and stir in the chickpeas.
  • Stir in the tagine paste along with the tomato purée and a small spoon of harissa. Add a splash of water or stock and return to the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are coated in a rich, slightly reduced sauce.
  • Stir through chopped coriander.
  • Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Couscous

  • Place the couscous in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Pour over the hot stock or water, cover and leave for 5 minutes.
  • Fluff with a fork and stir through olive oil.

Salmon

  • Heat a frying pan until very hot, then add the olive oil.
  • Pat the salmon dry. Brush with some oil from the pan and coat generously with the blackening spice mix.
  • Place the salmon in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes without moving to form a crust. Add the butter and as it melts, brush the top side of the salmon with the oil and butter and sprinkle more blackening spice on top.
  • Turn and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Baste the salmon as it finishes cooking. Squeeze over fresh lemon juice.

Assemble

  • To assemble, spoon the couscous onto plates and add a generous portion of the tagine vegetables. Place the salmon alongside.
  • Finish by sprinkling sumac over the salmon and vegetables, drizzle with olive oil and add a spoon of yogurt or tahini if desired.
  • More harissa paste can be added to the plate depending on taste preference

Notes

The same spice blend works well with roasted cauliflower or halloumi for variation. The sumac adds a sharp citrus lift that balances the richness of the salmon and spices. 
The vegetable tagine can optionally add preseved lemon. It can be made ahead and reheated. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!