# Chermoula-Baked Rockfish, Baharat Potatoes, and Roasted Cabbage with Tahina and Shatta > Rockfish bakes beneath a generous coat of lemony chermoula, with crisp-edged baharat potatoes alongside. Roasted winter cabbage brings sweet, charred edges, while creamy tahina and sharp red shatta tie the plate together. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/chermoula-baked-rockfish-with-bharat-potatoes-and-roasted-cabbage-tahina-shatta - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-02-11 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Chermoula-Baked Rockfish, Baharat Potatoes, and Roasted Cabbage with Tahina and Shatta](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F713e00950cb168e7.jpg) ## Chermoula Chopped herbs, warm spices, and lemon season the mild fish without overwhelming it. A little reserved uncooked sauce restores fresh herbal brightness after baking. ### Ingredients - 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems - 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves - 3 cloves garlic, chopped - 1 tsp ground cumin - 1 tsp sweet paprika - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest - 2 tbsp lemon juice - 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Pulse the herbs, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small food processor until finely chopped. 2. Add the olive oil and pulse briefly into a loose, spoonable paste, leaving some herb texture. 3. Reserve 2 tablespoons in a clean bowl for finishing the cooked fish. Use the remainder to coat the raw fish. ### Notes - Makes approximately 3/4 cup. If very thick, loosen with a tablespoon of water rather than more lemon juice. ## Chermoula-Baked Rockfish A thick herb coating protects the lean fish in a hot oven and mingles with its juices to form a light pan sauce. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 lb boneless rockfish fillets, divided into 4 portions - 1 batch chermoula, from the separate component, with 2 tablespoons reserved for finishing - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the fish without crowding. 2. Pat the fish dry, check for pin bones, and season with salt. Arrange in the dish and spread generously with the baking portion of chermoula. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while the vegetables roast. 3. Bake for 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest portion reaches 145°F and separates into moist flakes. Check thin fillets early. 4. Spoon the baking juices over the fish and finish with the reserved clean chermoula. ### Notes - Fold very thin tail ends underneath so each portion cooks more evenly. ## Baharat-Roasted Potatoes Parboiling makes the centers fluffy and roughens the surfaces for crisp roasting. Adding the spices late preserves their aroma and keeps the paprika from scorching. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 lb mixed small yellow, red, and purple potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces - 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided - 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for boiling water - 3/4 tsp ground cumin - 3/4 tsp ground coriander - 1/2 tsp sweet paprika - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper - 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon - 1/8 tsp ground allspice - 1 pinch ground cardamom ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cover the potatoes with cold salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the outside yields to a knife but the centers remain firm. 2. Drain thoroughly, let steam-dry for 3 minutes, then shake gently in the pot to roughen the edges. 3. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the measured salt. Spread on a metal sheet pan with cut sides down. 4. Roast for 25 minutes, then turn. Mix the spices with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, drizzle over the potatoes, and toss carefully. 5. Roast for another 10–15 minutes, until deeply browned and tender throughout. Taste for salt. ### Notes - The spice mixture is a small homemade baharat blend; 2 1/2 teaspoons of an unsalted, gluten-free baharat blend can replace it. ## Roasted Cabbage Wedges Keeping a little core attached holds each wedge together while the outer leaves brown and the center turns sweet and tender. ### Ingredients - 1 medium head green cabbage, about 2 lb - 3 tbsp olive oil - 3/4 tsp fine sea salt - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Remove damaged outer leaves and cut the cabbage through the core into 4 substantial wedges. Trim the core only enough to remove its tough exposed end. 2. Brush all surfaces with olive oil, gently working some between the leaves. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Arrange a cut side down on a metal sheet pan. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until well browned underneath. 4. Turn onto the other cut side and roast for 15–20 minutes more, until a knife slides easily through the thickest part and the edges are dark and crisp. Loosely cover with foil if the edges darken before the center softens. ### Notes - Leave the tahina and shatta off until serving so the roasted edges retain their texture. ## Lemon-Garlic Tahina Lemon and cold water turn tahini into a light, pourable sauce that clings to the cabbage's layers and softens the chile heat. ### Ingredients - 1/3 cup well-stirred tahini - 2 tbsp lemon juice - 1 small clove garlic, finely grated - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt - 4–6 tbsp cold water ### Instructions 1. Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, garlic, and salt; it will initially tighten. 2. Whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until smooth and thickly pourable. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon. 3. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add another splash of water if it has thickened. ## Quick Red Shatta A coarse, acidic chile sauce cuts through the tahini and adds a clean burst of heat without masking the roasted cabbage. ### Ingredients - 3 oz fresh red Fresno chiles, stems removed - 1 small clove garlic - 1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Coarsely chop the chiles, retaining their seeds for heat or removing some for a milder sauce. 2. Pulse the chiles, garlic, vinegar, and salt into a coarse relish rather than a smooth purée. 3. Stir in the olive oil and let stand for at least 20 minutes. Taste for salt and acidity before serving. ### Notes - This is a fresh, quick shatta, not a fermented or shelf-stable preserve. It makes more than needed for one meal; start with 1–2 teaspoons per plate. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The vegetables tolerate a short hold, while the fish cooks last so it stays moist. All oven components use the same temperature. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Start the potatoes in salted water and cut the cabbage. 2. 0:10 — Put the cabbage in the oven. Drain and steam-dry the potatoes, then oil them and start roasting on a separate tray. 3. 0:20 — Make the shatta, tahina, and chermoula. Reserve the clean finishing chermoula before coating the fish; refrigerate the fish. 4. 0:35 — Turn the cabbage. Turn and spice the potatoes when they have roasted for 25 minutes. Rotate the trays between racks if browning unevenly. 5. 0:50 — Check the vegetables and remove when tender and browned. Keep warm, loosely covered. Put the fish into the oven. 6. 1:00–1:10 — Check the fish for doneness, adjust the sauce consistencies, and plate immediately. ### Notes - Allow roughly 70 minutes total. If the oven is crowded, finish the vegetables first, then bake the fish; avoid packing three full pans into a small oven. ## Plating Keeping the three main elements distinct preserves the potatoes' crust while letting the cabbage carry the creamy and spicy sauces. ### Instructions 1. Place one rockfish portion along one side of each warm plate and spoon its chermoula-rich pan juices over it. 2. Add a compact pile of potatoes beside the fish and a cabbage wedge alongside. 3. Spoon tahina broadly over the cabbage, leaving some browned leaves exposed. Top with a small spoonful of red shatta and serve additional shatta at the table. ## Leftover Path Separate storage keeps the sauces bright and lets the potatoes and cabbage regain some roasted texture without overcooking the fish. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the fish, vegetables, and sauces in separate covered containers within 2 hours. Eat the fish within 2 days and the vegetables and sauces within 3–4 days. 2. Reheat potatoes and cabbage in a 400°F oven until hot and crisp at the edges, about 10–15 minutes. 3. Warm the fish separately in a covered dish at 300°F with a spoonful of water or its cooking juices until it reaches 165°F. Alternatively, flake it cold over the leftover cabbage. 4. Stir a little cold water into thickened tahina and add the tahina and shatta only after reheating. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.