Sunny Mediterranean Fish Stew

Read the story that goes with the recipe.

A classic Mediterranean fish stew typically starts with a fresh, light tomato broth as the base for simmering the seafood.

The iteration below came about when I was planning a dinner for a new friend, Jendayi, who loved seafood but was not fond of tomatoes. Wanting to keep the planned menu, I came up with this version that replaced the tomatoes in the broth with roasted red peppers. It was deemed a success by all that evening.

Ingredients

-2 cloves garlic, peeled

-1 small pinch saffron

-sea salt

-freshly ground black pepper

-1 cup mayonnaise

-lemon juice

-12 mussels 

-20 small clams 

-1 medium wineglass white wine

-1 jar roasted red peppers with juice

-1 cup good quality fish stock

-2 small fillets cod or sea bass, cut in half

-2 small fillets of red snapper, cut in half

-4 peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp, tail on 

-2 thick slices crusty bread

-1 small handful fennel tops

-extra virgin olive oil

-1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves picked and stalks chopped

Method

• To make the saffron aïoli, smash a clove of garlic, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, and the saffron with a small pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle until it turns into a paste. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise and mix. 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 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, careful not to let it burn. Add the wine, the fish stock, the roasted peppers with their juice and the basil stalks and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a little. Taste for seasoning and then blend lightly with an immersion blender until smooth.

• 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 are cooked through. (Discard any clams or mussels that don’t open.)

• Brush the bread with a little olive oil and toast in the oven. When crisp, remove and rub with a peeled garlic clove. Grab your favorite serving bowls. Some people put the toast in the bottom of the bowl and ladle the broth and seafood on top. I prefer to serve the bread on the side and dip as you go. Top each bowl with some fennel tops, basil leaves, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a big blob of saffron aïoli.

Wine Pairings

Red:

Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sangiovese, Grenache

White/Rose:

Cotes De Provence Roses or a Marsanne