OUT OF AFRICA

STEVE CUMPER SHOWCASES THE FLAVOURS OF THE MAGHREB.

Featuring flavours of the Maghreb, Steve Cumper’s swordfish with cauliflower salad recipe is a must-try.

IN THE VERY EARLY ’90s it seemed chefs the country over were imbuing their dishes with the distinct flavours of the Maghreb, the area in Northern Africa that includes Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Libya. Just when we could finally pronounce all those posh French cooking terms, the Marrakesh Express appeared like a mirage and we all eagerly clambered aboard the flavour train. My own initiation to this cuisine was during a brief stint in Paris in 1990. We lived in a little apartment where the tiny kitchen (more a hotplate with a sink) was responsible for the many times we dined out. However, we sometimes had home delivery and, on one memorable occasion, we had couscous to go. I remember being floored by the concept of having Tunisian takeaway home delivered. What arrived was a fragrant goat stew, redolent of fresh coriander, caraway and the most amazing smoky flavour. The couscous was the still the best I have eaten: each separate grain perfectly seasoned, lubricated with the faintest slick of oil and carrying a sweetish aroma. Orange water and cinnamon perhaps? The accompanying condiment, harissa, was a pungent concoction of pounded spices and chillies that had me repeatedly swigging from my bottle of Kronenbourg to douse the heat. After that, I was hooked. Back in Australia and working in the aptly named Mecca in Adelaide, I peppered my dishes with chermoula, ras el hanout and preserved lemons. This may have been okay in savoury dishes but probably wasn’t so suitable in the pudding section! Today this would be classed as cultural misappropriation of the worst kind. I like to think I’m now better versed in using a lighter touch with my food, but there remains a dynamic tension between my penchant for delivering a massive flavour kick with the subtle appreciation of what my jazz musician son calls ‘the light and shade’. This recipe straddles the gulf by using the much underrated cauliflower, the crowd-pleasing qualities of swordfish and the smack-in-the-face impact of chermoula. Just pop Marrakesh Express by Crosby, Stills and Nash on your sound system and it’s happy cooking habibi! Steve Cumper is a chef and funnyman who lives in Tasmania and dreams of one day owning a fleet of holiday vans called Wicked Cumpers.

CHERMOULA SWORDFISH WITH CAULIFLOWER SALAD

Serves 4 4 x 200g swordfish steaks ¼ cup olive oil, for frying CHERMOULA 1 red onion, peeled, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed 1 small red chilli, finely chopped 1 tablespoon preserved lemon, finely diced 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground caraway seeds 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon smoked paprika ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped ½ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped ½ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice sea salt flakes CAULIFLOWER SALAD ½ cup olive oil 1 brown onion, peeled, finely diced 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed 1 cauliflower, cut into florets 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 pomegranate, halved, seeds removed ¼ cup pistachio kernels, toasted, roughly chopped 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked 1 tablespoon sumac

To make chermoula, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Place swordfish in a shallow dish and add half the chermoula. Turn to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. To make cauliflower salad, preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 6 minutes or until golden. Add cumin seeds and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cauliflower and lemon juice and stir to coat. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Spread mixture over prepared tray. Roast for 20–25 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked and charred. Spoon onto a platter and sprinkle with pomegranate, pistachios, coriander and sumac. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook swordfish for 3 minutes each side for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Serve immediately with cauliflower salad and remaining chermoula.