Tomato Saffron Fish Stew Food

FABULOUS FISH STEW

Steps:

• It's worth trying to get hold of saffron for this one - it's available from most delis and good supermarkets. It's not cheap, but bear in mind you won't need much at all to spice up a dish. Make sure you use a wide pan so all the fish is in contact with the tomatoey broth. If you haven't got one, try using a high-sided roasting tray instead, with another tray as a lid.
• To make the saffron aïoli, smash a clove of garlic, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, and the saffron (if using) with a small pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar or a Flavour Shaker™ until it turns into a mush. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise and pound again. Stir in the rest of the mayo. Taste and season with a little more lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Give the mussels and clams a good wash in plenty of clean cold water and scrub any dirty ones lightly with a scrubbing brush, pulling off any beardy bits. If there are any that aren't tightly closed, give them a sharp tap. If they don't close up, throw them away.
• Heat a large, wide saucepan or stewing pot and pour in a splash of olive oil. Slice up the rest of the garlic and fry it in the oil until lightly golden. Add the wine and the tomatoes and the basil stalks and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a little.
• Add all your fish and shellfish in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Push the fish down into the liquid and put the lid on. Cook gently for about 10 minutes or until all the clams and mussels have opened and the fish fillets and langoustines or prawns are cooked through. (Discard any clams or mussels that don't open.)
• Toast the bread on a hot griddle pan and get out the serving bowls. Put a piece of toast in each bowl and ladle the soup over the top, making sure the fish is divided more or less evenly. Top each bowl with some fennel tops, basil leaves, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a big blob of saffron aïoli.

BLACK COD IN TOMATO-SAFFRON STEW

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium-heavy pot over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and saffron. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and crush with a wooden spoon. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Season cod with salt and pepper. Add cod and currants to tomato mixture. Cover, and cook 5 minutes. Gently stir cod; cover, and cook until opaque, about 5 minutes more. Divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle with almonds and scallions, and serve with baguette.

FISH STEW WITH ROAST GARLIC & SAFFRON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. To make the saffron and garlic paste, cut the whole heads of garlic in half horizontally. Place the garlic heads, cut-side up, on a small baking tray. Drizzle over a little olive oil and season with salt. Cover with foil and bake for 40-50 mins until softened. Remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 15-20 mins until the garlic has turned golden brown.
• Meanwhile, make the soup base. Chop the fennel, celery and onion into small dice and thinly slice the red chilli. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped vegetables. Grate the garlic into the pan and add the fennel seeds. Stir well, then cover and sweat for 10 mins. Add the saffron and bay leaves, and cook for a further 10 mins until the vegetables start to soften. Pour in the Pernod and wine, bring to the boil, then add the passata and 400ml water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 mins until all of the flavours have started to work together, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool a little.
• Transfer the soup to a jug blender and blend until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan - you may need to do this in batches. If the soup needs thickening, reduce over a medium heat. When it is the consistency of pouring cream, remove from the heat and set aside, or leave to cool and chill in the fridge until needed. The base of the soup can be made 3 days ahead.
• Meanwhile, for the paste, pour the Pernod into a small saucepan and add the saffron. Bring to the boil, add the olive oil and warm gently. Take off the heat and leave to cool.
• When the garlic is golden brown, remove the tray from the oven and squeeze the cloves out into the bowl of a pestle and mortar. Add a large pinch of flaky sea salt and pound to a paste. Slowly add the saffron-infused olive oil, stirring constantly. Transfer to a clean container and chill until needed.
• Bring the soup base to the boil in a large pan, then turn down to a light simmer and taste for seasoning. Add the chunks of prepared fish and squid, and gently poach the fish in the soup for 10 mins, or until it is just cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Ladle the soup into bowls, piling up the fish in the centre. Spoon on the saffron and garlic paste and sprinkle over some more parsley. Serve with toasted slices of baguette and the extra saffron and garlic paste on the side.

SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.;
• Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1¿2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine.

TOMATO-SAFFRON FISH STEW

Steps:

• Slice a piece of orange peel about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and the length of one side of an orange. Briefly whirl tomatoes and juice in a food processor or blender, just until broken up, but not puréed.
• In a large saucepan or soup pot, stir tomatoes with 4 cups (1 L) water, bay leaf, peel strip and saffron. Place over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, thyme, fennel, salt, celery salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop flavor.
• In a measuring cup, stir flour with 1/3 cup (75 mL) cold water until no lumps remain. After tomato mixture has simmered 15 minutes, slowly add to flour and water mixture while stirring constantly. Continue simmering, uncovered and stirring often, until mixture has thickened and no taste of flour remains, from 10 to 15 minutes.
• Taste, and add salt and pepper, if needed. Broth will have a very strong taste, which mellows when seafood is added. If making ahead, remove from heat at this point and refrigerate. Covered, broth will keep well for 3 days.
• Meanwhile, removing any bones or shells (but not from mussels or clams), cut fish or seafood into bite-size chunks.
• When ready to serve, remove bay leaf and orange peel from broth. If using clams, stir into hot stew and simmer 10 minutes before adding remaining fish and seafood. Stir fish, seafood, including any mussels and parsley, into simmering stew.
• Simmer, covered and stirring often, until clam or mussel shells have opened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with more chopped fresh parsley. Serve with a crisp baguette or sourdough bread to dip into the broth.

SHRIMP & COD STEW IN TOMATO-SAFFRON BROTH

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic, thyme, saffron and bay leaves. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, fish, shrimp, water, broth, corn and pepper., Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and fish flakes easily with a fork. Add spinach during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Discard bay leaves. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

PORTUGUESE FISH STEW (CALDEIRADA)

Steps:

• In a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic, stirring until softened, fragrant and golden, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices. Cook until tomatoes soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add the white wine, and simmer until most has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add stock, fish sauce ( if using chicken broth), saffron, a pinch of ground clove or allspice, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, bay leaves and fresh thyme. Add potatoes and bring to boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add fish, bring to a simmer over medium heat, give a gentle stir ( don't over stir or fish will break apart) and cook fish until it is just cooked through about 3-4 minutes. Turn heat off.
• Taste broth. Adjust salt, adding more if necessary.
• Garnish with fresh torn Italian parsley leaves, lemon wedges, chili flakes and crusty bread.

SICILIAN FISH STEW WITH TOMATO AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté 4 minutes. Add parsley and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato and cook 2 minutes longer. Add 1 1/3 cups cold water and dry white wine and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH WINTER SQUASH, TOMATOES AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Steam squash until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, chopped fennel and minced garlic and sautéuntil translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, chopped fresh thyme and bay leaf and stir 1 minute. Add clam juice, tomatoes with juices, white wine, Sherry and 1/2 cup water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors. Discard bay leaf.
• Add clams and saffron to pot; cover and cook until clams open, about 4 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Add sea bass and steamed squash to stew. Cover and simmer until squash is tender and fish is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle stew into bowls. Garnish with fennel fronds, if desired, and serve.