Moroccan · Main course
Calamari Tagine with Chermoula
A coastal Moroccan tagine that keeps things quick and bright — squid gently stewed in a chermoula-based tomato sauce with peppers and preserved lemon until just tender. The trick with calamari is timing: cook it briefly or long, never in between, or it turns to rubber. This version braises it slowly enough to stay silky and to drink in the garlicky, herby sauce.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 800 g squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
- For chermoula: 1 large bunch coriander and parsley, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, pinch cayenne, juice of 1 lemon, 4 tbsp olive oil, salt
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped, and 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 preserved lemon, rind sliced, and a handful of olives
- A little water
Method
- 1
Make chermoula
Blend the coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, oil and salt into a loose green paste. Toss the squid in half of it.
- 2
Start the base
In a tagine or wide pan, soften the onion in a little oil, add the tomato paste and tomatoes and cook to a thick base, then stir in the rest of the chermoula and the pepper.
- 3
Braise the squid
Add the marinated squid and a splash of water, cover, and simmer gently 25–30 minutes. Braising slowly keeps the squid tender — the danger zone is a few minutes of hard cooking, which toughens it.
- 4
Finish
Tuck in the preserved-lemon rind and olives, cook 5 minutes more, and reduce the sauce if loose.
- 5
Serve
Scatter with fresh coriander and serve from the tagine with bread.
Chef's tips
- With squid, go quick or go slow — a gentle 25–30 minute braise keeps it silky; a brief hard boil turns it rubbery.
- Don't let the sauce dry out during the braise; the squid needs liquid to stay tender.
- Rinse the olives and use only the preserved-lemon rind so the sauce isn't overwhelmed by salt.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop calamari going rubbery?
Squid toughens in the medium range of cooking. Either flash-cook it in a couple of minutes or braise it slowly for 25–30 minutes until it relaxes again. This tagine uses the slow route.
Can I use frozen squid?
Yes — frozen cleaned squid is fine and often more tender. Thaw and drain it well before adding so it doesn't water down the sauce.