Wednesday 23 September 2009

Mediterranean fish stew

I've been cooking up this fantastic fish stew for a while now, it's so delicious I new I'd have to post the recipe but it kept getting eaten before I could take a photo!

I've finally managed to get a shot after cooking this three times in less than a month, thankfully it tastes so good that I could never get bored with eating it.This is one of those dishes that you can mix about a bit, you can use all kinds of vegetables and different types of fish too. I kept my stew quite simple using sweet peppers, celery and fennel, for the fish I used monkfish and cod. There are loads of things you could use such as courgettes, aubergines, or artichokes, for the fish you could use haddock, prawns, halibut, scallops etc. It's up to you...The secret ingredient in this dish is the fennel, it's the perfect partner to the fish and gives the stew a slightly sweet aniseedy backnote. It's flavour is subtle but it makes a big difference to the flavour.I like to serve this with good crusty bread a wedge of lemon, a glass of chilled white wine is a very welcome partner too.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
  • Olive oil
  • A large onion, chopped
  • A bulb of fennel, finely shredded
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 2 large sweet peppers (yellow or red) chopped into largeish chunks
  • A glass of white wine
  • A 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • About 500g of fish, chopped into bite-size chunks (cod, haddock, monkfish, prawns, halibut etc)
  • A handful of basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)
  • A bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Method:
  • In a large pan over a medium heat sweat the onion in the olive oil for two or three minutes
  • Add the garlic, fennel and peppers to the pan, stir and cook for a few minutes more stirring occasionally
  • Pour in the white wine and let it cook for a minute or so
  • Add the tomatoes, season with salt then cover and let simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until everything is tender
  • Add the fish and basil (if using) stir well and cover, leave for around fives minutes or until the fish is cooked though
  • Serve scattered with the parsley with good bread and a squeeze of lemon

17 comments:

Karen said...

This would really be a welcome dinner for cool nights! It looks just delicious... I can see why you've been preparing it so often!

Christine said...

Sounds great! The flavors are the kind that lend a light, satisfying taste, and anything with fish would taste great, especially a stew.

Katie said...

Lovely, looks like a light fresh alternative to fish pie!

Beth (jamandcream) said...

Looks delish sam. Can't wait to be able to enjoy the glass of white wine with it too - only a month to go!!!

Sylvie said...

That looks absolutely wonderful and will definitly go on my to-try list!

Amanda @ Mrs.W's Kitchen said...

Gorgeous! It looks so yummy, Sam. I like to make something similar, myself--very warming!

Mary Meredith said...
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Jonny said...

sam, congrats on a great dish. I'm a big fan of a fish stew however it's done. In fact, all the great cuisines of the world have a version - bouillabaise, cacciucco, even bombay duck. I especially liked your choice of fish: the soft flakiness of the cod, contrasting with the firmer, denser texture of the monkfish. They both hold up to a longer cooking time than you'd typically give to a fish, and they look perfectly-cooked and moist in your pictures. nice work.

Pam said...

Wow! It looks so hearty and delicious Sam. I will be trying this recipe soon.

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

I think you're right about the fennel - it adds that little bit of magic to it all, doesn't it?

Looks delicious - I could use some of that right now!

Alicia Foodycat said...

It looks fantastic! I love fish stews like this.

test it comm said...

I sometime make dishes over again to get some photos. This fish stew sounds really good!

The Caked Crusader said...

this looks gorgeous and manages to be both hearty and light. Yum

Anonymous said...

I, too, love the fennel/fish pairing. You can't go wrong!

Maggie said...

Many years ago there used to be the most wonderful indoor fish market in Leicester, but alas no more.
This fish stew looks bright and cheerful.

Viagra Online said...

Have you ever tasted this recipe whit shrimps it's as good as this but it's a good option to made different dishes everyday.

Anonymous said...

Old recipe! But still, it works. I roasted the peppers in the over before adding them to the mix and it gave the stew a nice rich taste.