Salmon Balls à la Marocaine

Sardine Balls in tomato sauce is a classic Moroccan dish. You will say why am I using Salmon for this recipe?? Well, I couldn’t find any fresh sardines, so I thought using fresh salmon would work, since it has the same oily texture as sardines.

Paprika, cumin and curcuma add the Moroccan taste to these Salmon balls. The sauce is thick and zesty; you can smell bay leaves in it. Also, the addition of  cooked rice keeps those balls moist and melting in your mouth.  

Tip: Warm or cold, leftover is great for sandwiches!!

 

Ingredients: (4 servings)

1 lb boneless, skinless salmon fillet, cut into chunks

1 lb fresh tomatoes or canned plum tomatoes
½ cup brown rice, cooked
4 tbsp cilantro, chopped and divided
2 large bay leaves
1 tbsp paprika, divided
1 tsp cumin, divided
1 tsp curcuma, divided (optional)
3 garlic cloves, grated and divided
Juice of half a lemon
1 red, green or yellow pepper, cut into strips
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Chilli paste or Harissa (optional)

Directions:

Place salmon chunks in a food processor. Pulse until salmon chopped into very small pieces.

Transfer salmon to a large bowl. Add cooked rice, lemon juice, half of the spices (salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and curcuma). Then add half of the cilantro and garlic. Mix well with a fork or your hands. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Peel tomatoes, remove seeds and process in a food processor.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Sauté peppers with the rest of garlic. Stir until aromatic, and then add tomato sauce and the rest of spices (cumin, paprika and curcuma). Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat and add bay leaves and the rest of cilantro.

Shape salmon mixture into a same size balls, and then add to the sauce. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the balls are cooked through. Add water if necessary (I didn’t add any).

Serve warm, with a lemon wedge to squeeze over and  bread for scooping up salmon balls and sauce. You can serve it with pasta as well. Enjoy!!