Best Fishmongers Stew Recipes

GARLIC-SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak the bread in cold water for 1 minute and squeeze dry. Mash garlic and salt into a paste. Put it in a mortar with the bread and pound together with the saffron, or mix it all in a blender.
• Gradually whisk in the olive oil to make a thick sauce. Add the lemon juice, parsley and salt. Keep the sauce at room temperature.

FISHERMAN'S SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley, crushed red pepper, thyme, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cream.
• Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a separate pot. Add the cod, mahi-mahi, shrimp and scallops and cook until cooked through and no longer translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and add to the stew.

FISHERMAN'S STEW

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and water in a measuring cup or bowl. Puree using an immersion blender until smooth.
• Cut sea bass into roughly 1 1/2-inch chunks to match the other seafood in size. Place fish, shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams in individual dishes so they're ready to use.
• Melt butter and olive oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel, garlic, and salt; cook and stir until garlic takes on color, about 1 minute. Stir in white wine. Let simmer until reduced by about 1/2, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato broth base; bring to a boil. Continue to boil until fennel is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir in parsley, bass, shrimp, and calamari. Add clams and mussels. Cover, increase heat to high, and cook until clam and mussel shells open and fish, shrimp, and calamari are opaque, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to warm serving bowls. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

FISHMONGER'S STEW

Steps:

• Soak the clams in cold water to remove grit and sand, then drain. Rinse and de-beard the mussels. Put the monkfish, scrod, squid and bay scallops (if using) in separate small bowls. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and leeks and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, thyme, bay leaf, saffron, garlic, paprika and red pepper flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat to high, add the fish stock, chicken broth or water, and bring to a boil. Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Add the potatoes and reduce the heat so they simmer gently until firm-tender, about 10 minutes. (The stew may be prepared to this point up to 2 hours ahead.)
• To finish the stew, return the heat to a brisk simmer. Add the clams and cook till they open, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mussels, monkfish and scrod and simmer until the mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squid and scallops, if using, and cook 1 minute more. Turn off the heat, stir in the garlic-saffron sauce.