Fish Stew Provencal Recipes

PROVENçAL FISH STEW

Steps:

• Drain chickpeas. If you used dried, reserve cooking liquid; if they are canned, discard the liquid and rinse the chickpeas. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add bread crumbs, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until they're crisp and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet; increase heat to medium-high. When oil is hot, add garlic, olives, capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, a minute or two. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it darkens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Start adding spinach a handful at a time; keep stirring until all the spinach fits in the pan and starts to release its water; sprinkle with a little more pepper, then add the stock, chickpeas and red chile flakes if you're using them. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then stir in the squid and the shrimp. Cook until the seafood is just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among bowls, sprinkle with bread crumbs and serve.

PROVENCAL FISH STEW

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
• Add the bell pepper and cook for 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• Add the tomatoes and their juice, the broth fennel seeds, salt, cayenne and olives. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; add the halibut and cod, cover and cook for 7 minutes or until the fish are cooked through. Stir in the basil and serve hot.

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.

PROVENCAL SHELLFISH STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper, and saffron and cook another minute. Stir in the vermouth and simmer until reduced by about half. Lightly crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the pot; stir in their juices, add the water, orange zest, bay leaf, cover, and simmer until the flavors come together, about 20 minutes.
• Adjust the heat so that the broth simmers briskly. Stir in the clams, cover the pot, and cook until they just begin to open, 6 to 8 minutes. (To keep the clams from overcooking, transfer any fully opened ones to a bowl.) Add the scallops and shrimp and cook, uncovered, until they are just cooked through and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the vinegar, parsley, and return any of the cooked clams along with their juices. Season with salt, if needed. Divide stew and shellfish among 4 warm bowls. Serve.

PROVENCAL FISH STEW

Steps:

• Slice the leeks and place them in a bowl of cold water. Rinse thoroughly to make sure all the grit is removed.
• Saute the peppers, carrots, fennel and garlic in the olive oil with the pepper flakes until soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes and a cup and a half of water. Add the potatoes and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
• Meanwhile, scrub the mussels and the clams. Heat the white wine in a large pan and add the shellfish. Cook them over high heat until they open (the mussels will open first). Remove them from the pan as soon as they open their shells; otherwise, they will become tough. Strain the cooking liquid if there is any sand in it and add it to the tomatoes and vegetables.
• Cut the fish fillets into two-inch pieces. Cut the squid into one-inch pieces. Add them to the casserole, cover and cook for five minutes. Add the shellfish just long enough to heat through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

SIMPLE FISH STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the fennel seeds, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 mins until starting to soften. Tip in the leeks, tomatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly.
• Add the fish, scatter over the prawns and cook for 2 mins more until lightly cooked. Ladle into bowls and serve with a spoon.

COD PROVENçAL

Steps:

• Neatly trim the cod fillets. Score the skin of each fillet 3-4 times at regular intervals. Lay the fish in a shallow dish and sprinkle both sides of the fillets with the salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Set aside or chill overnight, see box, far right.
• Deseed and finely slice the peppers, then finely grate the garlic and lemon zest over the peppers. Carefully slice the fennel on a mandolin, or as finely as possible with a sharp knife, then tip half the fennel into a bowl of iced water and set aside.
• Brush the salt off the fish or, if it has dissolved, wipe the brine off with kitchen paper. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large non-stick pan, cook the fish, skin side down, for 4 mins until the skin is crisp and browned, then remove from the pan.
• Put 1 tbsp more oil into the pan. Fry the fennel and the marinated peppers together for 4-5 mins until soft and starting to brown. Throw in the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar, then continue to cook for 2-3 mins until they soften and release their juices. Scatter over the olives, capers and herbs, then toss everything together.
• Nestle the fish fillets, skin side up, among the vegetables, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 mins until the fish is just cooked through. Lift the fish from the pan and give the sauce a final simmer and stir, then turn off the heat. This dish is better served warm rather than hot, so don't worry about the vegetables or fish resting before you serve.
• Drain the reserved fennel and pat dry with kitchen paper. Toss with the juice from half the grated lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil and the anchovies. To serve, spoon the vegetables into the middle of two large dinner plates. Sit the cod, skin side up, on top of the vegetables and top with a neat bundle of fennel salad. Drizzle everything with a touch more oil, then scatter with the small basil leaves.

PROVENCAL FISH STEW WITH ROUILLE

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, garlic, and cayenne in small bowl. Cover and chill rouille. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
• Place fennel fronds, thyme sprigs, and orange peel on large square of 2 layers of moistened cheesecloth. Gather cheesecloth and tie securely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel bulb and leek and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add wine and saffron; bring to boil. Add broth and bouquet garni; return to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes. Add fish and simmer until opaque in center, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Brush baguette slices with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Spread rouille on toasts. Ladle stew into wide soup bowls, top with toasts, and serve.

SHELLFISH STEW PROVENçALE

Steps:

• Clean the hard-shelled clams:
• Scrub the clams thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold water, discarding any that have cracked shells or that are not shut tightly.
• Make the stew:
• In a kettle cook the onion, the fennel, and the bell pepper in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the zest, the minced thyme, the bay leaf, the cayenne, and the saffron, cook the mixture, stirring, for 30 seconds, and add the wine, the stock, the tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes, add the garlic, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. The stew may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Stir in the shrimp and the clams and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the crab legs and the scallops, simmer the stew, covered, for 3 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked through and the clams are opened, and discard the bay leaf and any unopened clams. Divide the stew among 8 heated bowls and garnish it with the thyme sprigs.
• Make the stock:
• In a well-buttered heavy saucepan combine the fish bones and trimmings, the onion, the parsley, the lemon juice, and the salt and steam the mixture, covered, over moderately high heat for 5 minutes. Add the water and the wine, bring the liquid to a boil, skimming the froth, and simmer the stock for 20 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, let it cool to warm, and chill it, covered. The stock keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week if it is brought to a boil every 2 days and then allowed to cool to warm, uncovered, before being chilled again. The stock keeps, frozen, for 3 months. Makes about 6 cups.