Best Mendocino Fish Stew Recipes

EASY FISH STEW WITH MEDITERRANEAN FLAVORS

Steps:

• Place the garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Add the anchovy fillets and mash with the garlic. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion, celery and carrot with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the pureed garlic and anchovy. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is very fragrant, about one minute, and then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and the mixture smells aromatic, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the water, potatoes, salt (to taste) and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover partially and simmer 30 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add pepper to taste. Remove the bouquet garni.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper, and stir into the soup. The soup should not be boiling. Simmer five to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets) or just until it flakes easily when poked. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, taste once more, adjust seasonings and serve.

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.

MENDOCINO FISH STEW

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a heavy casserole or saucepan. Add the onions and cook over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook 5 minutes more.
• Add the white wine, lemon rind and saffron. Increase heat to medium and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the wine reduces to 1/4 cup. In another pot, boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, set aside until cool and quarter.
• Add the tomato puree, peppers, olives and oregano to the wine mixture. Simmer 5 minutes more. Remove the lemon rind, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cod, cover and simmer gently until fish is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Divide the potatoes among 4 bowls. Ladle fish stew over potatoes, garnish with basil and serve immediately.