Portuguese Fisherman’s Stew
So easy to make and just loaded with healthy protein from the sea and nutritious organic vegetables! My rendition of the classic Fisherman’s stew is sure to make anyone tasting it a lover of seafood! Add just a little bit of chorizo or linguisa sausage ( I get a very clean version at our local co-op) to flavor the stew with a bit of earthiness; add the classic Old Bay spice and clam juice with loads of crab to keep the stew’s integrity to the sea! I use cod fish and shrimp in my version but any firm fish and other shell fish varieties such as mussels, clams or scallops could be substituted, just don’t remove the crab as it completes the dish!
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
8-10 cloves garlic, sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 bulb fennel, sliced, with fronds chopped and reserved
1 cup celery, chopped
1 sweet yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 cups frozen peas
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped and reserved
1 bottle of clam juice
8 ounces of vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
3 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes
Pinch of saffron threads
1 teaspoon grey salt
Pepper to taste
1 28 oz chopped canned tomatoes
2 lbs snow or king crab legs, break up large pieces
1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 lb cod fish fillet
1/2 stick chorizo or linguisa sausage, sliced
Heat olive oil in a large chef’s pot at medium high
Add onions, garlic, leeks, fennel bulb, celery, bell pepper and chorizo
Cook till vegetables are softened and sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes
Add all the herbs and spices
Add canned tomatoes, clam juice and broth
Stir and cook through, about 3 minutes
Add crab legs and shrimp and cook through until seafood is pink, about 3 minutes
Add grape tomatoes, peas, reserved fennel fronds and cod fish
Cook through gently to keep the fish intact
Finish with the chopped parsley, adjust salt and pepper to taste
Serve immediately with rigatoni or penne pasta
If you prefer, add potatoes to the stew at the first stage of cooking and serve with a crusty bread or on its own instead of pasta!
This is just delicious!! Enjoy with a glass of sauvignon blanc!!
