Spicy Fish in Cherry Tomato and Harissa Sauce by Einat Admony

Cherry tomatoes aren’t traditional, but they give this gutsy dish a touch of bright sweetness.

SERVES 6

Dag hareef, a spicy fish bathed in a flaming-red fiery sauce that begs for a thick slice of challah for dipping, graces almost every North African table on Friday nights. In the Libyan-Tripolitan version, known as chraime, the fish cooks in a minimalist sauce of oil infused with cumin, caraway, and lots of paprika. The more elaborate Moroccan version, which is what my aunt would make, contains fresh tomatoes, peppers, and an entire bunch of cilantro. Cherry tomatoes aren’t traditional, but they give this gutsy dish a touch of bright sweetness.

This dish is meant to be spicy, but how spicy is up to you. Start with half the amount of harissa and chile, and fire the dish up to your liking.