Fish Stew With Herbed Toasts Recipes

FISH STEW WITH HERBED TOASTS

Steps:

• Heat broiler with rack 8 inches from heating element. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, 3 tablespoons shallot, and 3 thyme sprigs; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and juice; simmer, breaking up tomatoes into bite-size pieces, until liquid is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in clam juice and fish; return to a simmer. Remove from heat.
• Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter over bread. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon shallot and thyme leaves from 2 sprigs; season with salt and pepper. Place atop fish. Broil until fish is just cooked through and bread is toasted, about 2 minutes (if bread is darkening too quickly, move skillet to lower rack); serve.

MEDITERRANEAN FISH STEW WITH GARLIC TOASTS

Steps:

• To make the garlic toasts, drizzle the bread with oil, then griddle or grill until golden all over. While the toasts are still hot, rub them with garlic and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wide, deep frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a gentle heat for 5 mins until softened. Stir through the garlic and chilli and cook a couple of mins more. Add the tomato purée and tomatoes. Turn up the heat and cook for 10-15 mins, stirring until the tomatoes are pulpy. Pour over the wine and cook for 10 mins more until most of it has boiled away.
• Add the fish stock and orange zest and heat until gently simmering. Nestle the halibut chunks into the liquid and cook for 5 mins. Add the clams and prawns and cook for 5 mins more until the fish is cooked through and the clams have opened (discard any that haven't). Sprinkle the parsley over the stew and serve with the garlic toasts.

RUSSELL'S FISH STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Mix in the celery, onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in the tomatoes, water, wine, clam juice, and sherry. Dissolve bouillon cubes in the stew, and season with red pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour.
• Mix the cilantro, shrimp, and fish into the stew. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque and fish is easily flaked. Remove from heat, and allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.

SEXY FISH STEW

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir leek, shallots, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the melted butter until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir wine into leek mixture, increase heat to medium, and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
• Mix fennel and potatoes into leek mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add cream and stir to combine.
• Stir fish and tarragon into soup, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir gently, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE AND ROASTED PEPPER TOASTS

Steps:

• Roast the pepper: Place the bell pepper directly over the open flame of a gas burner, under the broiler or on a hot, glowing charcoal grill. Let the skin of the pepper blacken and blister, using tongs to turn the pepper frequently. When completely blackened, after 5 to 8 minutes, transfer to a plate to cool.
• Using a paring knife, cut pepper in half lengthwise. Cut away seeds and stem and discard. Scrape away the skin and discard. Do not rinse. It's OK if a few bits of charred skin remain.
• Cut pepper halves into long strips about 1-inch wide. Season lightly with salt. (The pepper can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of serving.)
• Marinate the goat cheese: Slice the goat cheese log into 10 pieces (each about 3/4-inch thick). Place pieces in a single layer on a plate and pour 1/4 cup oil over.
• Strip leaves from a few thyme sprigs and a rosemary sprig, roughly chop and sprinkle over the cheese. Finish with a bit of freshly ground black pepper, and a small pinch of red-pepper flakes. Cover and set aside. (This can also be done up to 24 hours ahead.)
• Set oven to 350 degrees. Cut the baguette on a diagonal into 10 slices, each about 1/4-inch thick. (If using ciabatta, cut into similar-size pieces.) Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer, then place in oven for about 5 minutes, until bread is barely toasted.
• Remove from oven and carefully give each toast a light swipe with the garlic clove. Lay a strip of roasted pepper across each toast to cover. Place a goat cheese round in the center of each toast. Spoon the remaining olive oil from the plate generously over each piece of cheese and any exposed toast.
• To finish, return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the bread is nicely browned and the cheese has gotten a bit of color, 8 to 10 minutes. Let toasts cool a bit, then arrange on a platter and serve. (They taste best at room temperature or just barely warm.) Toasts can be baked up to 1 hour ahead and popped in the oven to reheat slightly.