Steamed fish with Moroccan roast vegetables

I don’t recall ever eating roasted vegetables when I was growing up – not even roast potatoes. Vegetables were boiled or steamed, possibly mashed, and served with butter. Mum had a wok (not standard kitchen equipment in those days), and would occasionally make a big Chinese stir fry, but roasting vegetables wasn’t on the radar.

The vegetables in this dish are tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar, before being roasted to golden deliciousness. I like how the clean simplicity of the steamed white fish contrasts with the spicy richness of the vegetables.

Steamed fish with Moroccan roast vegetables
(serves 4)

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1 courgette, cut into chunks
• 1 leek, trimmed and cut into 1/2″ slices
• 1 tin chickpeas, drained
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tb raisins
• half a preserved lemon, diced (optional)
• 4 portions of white fish, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 Tb coriander, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a large roasting tin, toss the sweet potato, courgette, leek and chickpeas with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon, chilli powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
3. Spread the vegetables in an even layer, and roast for 30 minutes, or until tender. Toss with the raisins and preserved lemon, and roast for another five minutes.
4. When the vegetables are cooking, steam the fish. I either wrap the pieces individually in oiled tin foil and put them in the oven fifteen minutes before the vegetables are ready, or cook the in steamer basket over a couple of inches of simmering water for about ten minutes.
5. Arrange the fish on a bed of roast vegetables, garnish with coriander and serve.

Tags: chickpeas, courgette, dairy-free, fish, gluten-free, sweet potato