Moroccan Seafood Tagine

Instructions

1. Prepare the seafood
   Rinse all seafood under cold water. Pat the fish fillets and shrimp dry with paper towels. Make sure the mussels are cleaned, debearded, and discard any that are open and don't close when tapped. Set all seafood aside, keeping refrigerated until needed.
2. Create the tagine base
   Heat the olive oil in a large tagine pot or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and red bell pepper, cooking for another 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
3. Add spices and aromatics
   Stir in the cumin, paprika, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices. Add the preserved lemon rind and stir to combine, allowing the flavors to blend together for about 30 seconds.
4. Build the sauce
   Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the fish stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook the seafood
   First add the fish pieces to the simmering sauce, partially submerging them. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the calamari rings and shrimp, gently nestling them into the sauce. Finally, place the mussels around the edge of the pot, hinge-side down. Cover and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the fish flakes easily, the shrimp turns pink, and the mussels open. Discard any mussels that don't open.
6. Finish and garnish
   Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. The tagine should be fragrant and colorful, with the seafood perfectly cooked and tender in the flavorful sauce.