Complet Poisson
The Tunisian fish plate: grilled fish with fried peppers, potatoes, a salad, tastira and harissa, all on one dish. An assembly rather than a recipe, and everything matters.
Photograph credit: Attiéké, poisson frit et condiment, l’incontournable ivoirien by KAREN KOUADIO · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Method
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Slash the fish twice on each side, rub with 3 tbsp oil and the salt, and fill the cavities with lemon slices.
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For the tastira, char the peppers and tomatoes whole in a dry pan or under a grill for 12 minutes until blistered. Peel, deseed and chop them roughly with the garlic.
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Fry the chopped tastira in 4 tbsp oil with the caraway and salt for 6 minutes, until thick and jammy. Keep warm.
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Fry the potato chips in the sunflower oil at 180°C for 8 minutes, until crisp and gold. Drain and salt.
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Grill the fish 6 to 7 minutes a side, until the skin blisters and the flesh pulls cleanly from the bone.
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Assemble each plate: fish in the centre, chips and tastira beside it, olives and a spoonful of harissa on the rim.
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Serve with tahina and lemon wedges, and eat with your hands and bread.
Chef’s Tips
- Do not skip the tastira. It is what joins the plate together.
- Everything at its own temperature — the salad cold, the rest hot.
- Assemble at the last second.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Pairing Suggestions
- Khobz tabouna
- Slata tounsia
- Cold beer
Storage & Reheating
Assemble fresh. The tastira keeps 3 days refrigerated and is good on its own with bread.
Common questions
How long does Complet Poisson take to make?
About 1 hour 10 minutes in total — 30 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Complet Poisson?
Do not skip the tastira. It is what joins the plate together. Everything at its own temperature — the salad cold, the rest hot. Assemble at the last second.
What should I serve with Complet Poisson?
Khobz tabouna; Slata tounsia; Cold beer.
How should Complet Poisson be stored?
Assemble fresh. The tastira keeps 3 days refrigerated and is good on its own with bread.
Is Complet Poisson suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free, high-protein and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Complet Poisson?
About 690 kcal per serving, with 45 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate and 35 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.