Typically prepared at passover by French Moroccan Jews, this is one of the most colorful and delicious fish dishes I have ever tasted. Today most French Jews buy their fava beans, a sign of spring, twice peeled and frozen, from Picard Surgelés. Frozen is easier, but in this dish, fresh tastes even better.
Recipe information
Yield
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large, wide sauté pan with a cover. Stir in the garlic and the red peppers. Sauté slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Add about 2 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, add half the cilantro, and continue cooking, covered, for about 30 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary.
Step 2
While the peppers are cooking, bring about 6 cups water with 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Toss in the fava beans, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the beans are al dente. Remove, plunge into ice water, drain, and slip the thin outer skin off the beans.
Step 3
Add the fava beans to the peppers with 1 teaspoon of the paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, the cayenne pepper, shad, and the roe, if using. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the fish, as well as the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika and all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining cilantro. Simmer, covered, until the shad is cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Remove the fish, vegetables, and sauce to a serving plate, and sprinkle the reserved fresh cilantro on top.
