Fish tagine with saffron, honey & preserved lemons

Bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan, then crumble the saffron into it and take it off the heat. Stir and set aside, so the saffron can flavour and colour it. Blot the fish and the prawns dry with kitchen paper. Put everything for the marinade in a bowl and add the fish and prawns. Turn it all over with your hands, then cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, wide frying or sauté pan big enough to cook the tagine in. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, chilli, ginger, cumin, coriander and cinnamon stick. Stir these around for a couple of minutes, or until you can smell the fragrance of the spices.

Stir in the tomatoes, coat in the spices and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until you are left with a thick purée. Add the honey, raisins and tomato purée. Season. Stir in the coriander stalks and the saffron stock. Stir and bring to the boil. Reduce until the sauce is thicker and has reduced by about ½, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the ground almonds. Taste and season. Turn the heat down to low. Season the fish and add it, along with the marinade, to the tomato sauce. Cook gently for 3-4 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, and the prawns are pink, opaque and cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the fish. Carefully stir in the preserved lemon. Taste for sweetsour balance and seasoning. You might want to add a tiny bit more honey, lemon juice or salt. Scatter the coriander leaves and flaked almonds on top. Serve with couscous or flatbread, if liked, and the cucumber salad (below).