How To Make Chermoula | Tasting Table Recipe

A versatile North African sauce for fish and veggies

Matt McClure of The Hive in Bentonville, Arkansas has played with many variations of his chermoula, a lemony herb condiment from North Africa. McClure sometimes swaps in the liquid from preserved lemons for the fresh zest and juice, or adds a bit of heat with a sprinkling of cayenne powder or smoky ground cumin.

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Below is his base recipe, ripe for playing with. Just make sure to plan enough time so that the chermoula can sit for a bit before serving, letting the flavors mingle together and deepen.

To learn more, read "Matt McClure's Secret Weapon."

Recipe adapted from Matt McClure, The Hive, Bentonville, AR

Chermoula

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Learn to make this herby North African sauce. 

Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
0
minutes
servings
1
cup
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt, to taste

Optional Ingredients

  • Pinch saffron (optional)

Directions

  1. Using a mortar and pestle, or in the bowl of a food processor, pound or pulse the ginger into a paste. Add the parsley, cilantro, lemon zest, jalapeño, saffron and mash or pulse to combine. Slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream while blending to form an emulsion. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt, cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving so that the flavors can meld.
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