Fish In Crazy Water Food

FISH IN CRAZY WATER

Steps:

• Trim the spring onions and fennel (reserving any leafy tops), peel the carrot, then slice them all 1/2-centimeter-thick (1/4-inch-thick). Halve the tomatoes. Peel and finely slice the garlic and chilli. Squash and destone the olives. Put a large frying pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the onions, fennel and carrot, followed 4 minutes later by the tomatoes, garlic, chilli and olives. Toss regularly for 2 minutes while you lightly score the fish on both sides (this will help flavour and heat to penetrate as it cooks).
• Lay the fish on top of the veg, stuff half the herbs into the cavities, then pour over the wine and let it reduce by half. Add about 300 milliliters (10 ounces) of water, to come 1 centimeter (1/3 inch) up the side of the pan. Cover and leave to thunder away on a high heat for 8 minutes (boiling underneath, steaming on top means fragrant veggies). Pick the remaining herb leaves, finely grate the lemon zest over them, then chop and mix together.
• Uncover the fish and baste with its juices for 1 minute. To check the fish is cooked, go to the thickest part up near the head--if the flesh flakes easily away from the bone, it's done. Remove to a plate, spoon over the veg and juices, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, scatter over the lemony herbs, then squeeze over the lemon juice. Great served with bread to mop up that irresistible sauce, or with new potatoes, couscous or rice.

RED SNAPPER IN CRAZY WATER: ACQUA PAZZA

Steps:

• Season fish pieces with salt, pepper and seafood seasoning. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic and anchovies. Melt anchovies into oil. Add snapper, skin side down and crisp the skin. Turn and brown the fish in oil 3 mintutes. Add wine and deglaze the pan (lift up drippings) then add sun-dried tomato pieces, capers and scallions and stir in chicken stock. Stir the stew/soup or "stoup" gently so you do not break up the fish. Bring the broth to a simmer and cook another 3 to 5 minutes to combine flavors.
• Serve fish in shallow bowls with plenty of crazy broth. Garnish with parsley and pass plenty of crusty bread for dipping, dunking and mopping!

SEA BREAM IN CRAZY WATER (ORATA ALL'ACQUA PAZZA)

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large, lidded frying pan. Carefully slip the fish into the sizzling oil and cook for 4-5 mins until starting to brown. Flip over and scatter the garlic around the fish. Sizzle for 1 min more, then add the chilli and scatter over the tomatoes. Pour over the wine and let it bubble for 1 min, then pour over 100ml water and season generously with sea salt and pepper.
• Put on the lid, turn up the heat and simmer for 15 mins until the fish is cooked through - you can tell when the eyes turn bright white and the flesh feels softer.
• Lift each fish out the pan onto a serving plate and put the pan back on the heat. Add the capers and parsley, and boil hard for 1 min. You can now serve the fish and the sauce separately or slip them back into the pan, spoon some of the sauce over and bring the pan to the table. Drizzle with a little more oil just before serving.

FISH IN CRAZY WATER

Steps:

• Mince garlic. Quarter tomatoes and finely chop parsley. Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
• In a heavy skillet just large enough to fit fish heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté garlic, stirring, until it just begins to turn golden. Add fish, tomatoes, water, wine, and 1/4 cup parsley and bring to a boil over high heat. Spoon cooking liquid over fish and cook fish, covered, at a bare simmer until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer fish and tomatoes to a large serving platter and cover with foil. Boil cooking liquid over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Fillet fish and spoon sauce and tomatoes over it.

PESCE ALL'ACQUA PAZZA (FISH IN CRAZY WATER)

Steps:

• In a large skillet with high sides, combine the olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes. Set over medium-low and cook, swirling occasionally, until sizzling and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add 2 1/2 cups water, the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons salt to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the tomatoes are softened and the water is bright red and tastes like tomato, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Pat the fish dry and season with salt. Lay the fish into the tomato water, cover and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, 4 to 8 minutes.
• Taste the water and adjust seasonings with salt and red-pepper flakes. If the liquid has reduced so much that it resembles sauce, add a little water until it looks like tomatoes suspended in red-tinted water. Serve the fish and tomato water in shallow bowls, with a drizzle of olive oil and bread for dunking.