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.

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
No Ratings
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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