Italian-Style Fish Stew
This is a simple Italianate fish stew, with classic Mediterranean flavors. It’s easy to put together and everything can be prepped ahead. Just pop it the oven 30 minutes before dinner.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 2pounds white-fleshed fish fillets, such as hake, snapper or sea bass, skin removed
- Salt and pepper
- 2teaspoons chopped thyme or marjoram
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1small lemon, thinly sliced
- 2cups diced white onion
- 4minced garlic cloves, plus 1 whole garlic clove for rubbing bread
- ¼teaspoon crushed saffron
- ½teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½teaspoon crushed fennel seed
- 1bay leaf
- 1tablespoon tomato paste
- 1cup dry white wine
- 2cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
- 3cups fish stock, light chicken broth or water
- 12large clams
- 4thick slices country bread
- ¼cup chopped parsley
Instructions
Step 1
Marinate the fish: Cut fish into 2-inch chunks and place in a medium bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add half the chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lemon slices. Toss to coat and set aside for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 8 hours).Step 2
Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring, 5 or 6 minutes.Step 3
Add reserved thyme, minced garlic, saffron, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, bay leaf and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Add wine, tomatoes and stock or water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust; the broth should be well seasoned. (This seasoned base may be prepared up to 1 day in advance, if desired.)Step 4
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange fish, clams and lemon slices in the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch baking dish or a wide earthenware casserole of similar size. Ladle the broth over everything, cover and bake for 20 minutes, or until clams have opened and fish flakes easily.Step 5
Toast the bread and rub each slice with garlic. Sprinkle parsley over the soup. Serve in low soup bowls, giving each guest some fish, clams, broth and garlic toast.