Sunday, January 18, 2009

Fisher-lady's Stew

Another Sunday evening... another work week to come - that means, what to do for lunch? last week was red meat and beans, this week - fish, shellfish and lentils. another winner me thinks. I'm sure Julie will voice her opinion if she doesn't like it...

my suggestions for this stew:
1 x yellow onion, chopped and diced
6 x cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 x bulb of fennel - chopped
1 x small celeriac (celery root) - peeled and chopped
1 x carrot - peeled and chopped
1 x red pepper - chopped
1 x yellow pepper - chopped
2 x hot red peppers - chopped (i leave the seeds in... adds some heat)
1 c. green dry lentils
1 x bottle clamato juice
1 large tin tomatoes (stewed is best)
1/4 c. red wine - pick something you'd drink. if you wouldn't drink it, why cook with it?
1 x stalk lemon grass, chopped in about 1 inch pieces
1 x lime - zest and the juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp star anise (you can get them already in seeds or ground the larger pieces)
salt and pepper to taste

Fish (these are my choices today)
2 x fillets haddock
2 x fillets cod
2 c. mixed shellfish

Now... in a large pot over medium high heat, heat 2 tsp of olive oil. Once heated, add the onion, let it sweat a bit, and then add the garlic. Once the onion and garlic have cooked down a bit, add the chopped fennel, celeriac, carrot and sweet peppers. Let them cook down a bit - stir every once and a while. Add the star anise, lemon grass, hot peppers, lime zest and juice and lentils. Stir all the spices and peppers to the veggies so that everything is well blended. Add add the liquid and bring the pot to a boil. Cover and let simmer. Now add the good stuff... the FISH! Include the chopped haddock, the cod and the mixed shellfish. You want to make sure that all the fish are covered by the tomato stew - you're basically poaching the fish in the broth. Add the tomato paste so that the stew thickens and leave it on a lower heat to quietly simmer (uncovered)...

Use whatever meaty fish you feel like eating - or whichever one "catches" (ha ha) your fancy... it really is up to you.

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