Lazy Fisherman's Stew
It's Spring! Or is it? If you looked out the window to check you probably found Old Man Winter spitting on your lawn. He refuses to F off.
Dreary weather makes me want to eat braised meats, stews and soups. It also makes me incredibly lazy. This stew doesn't bother with anything in shells or with bones. They're just more to fiddle with and clean up. The caramelizing of the tomato paste and onions, deglazed with a whole cup of wine, quickly develops a rich broth. All you have to do is add some fresh fish and a few things from a can or the freezer.
I serve this with fresh homemade bread. Don't worry - it's lazy bread. This recipe from Alexandra Stafford is no-knead and so quick and easy. You can mix it up in a few minutes and have it rise while you make the stew. There is nothing better than warm homemade bread smeared with a big slab of butter. My four-year old agrees.
Maybe if I invited in Old W for a bowl of soup he'd warm up and head off to New Zealand. Good riddance.
Lazy Fisherman's Stew
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 pinch saffron threads
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
14 oz crushed San Marzano tomatoes
2 1/2 cups fish stock or clam nectar
1.5 lbs firm fresh fish like cod, cut into cubes
1 can crab law meat
1 can clams
1/2 pound jumbo prawns, shelled and devained (frozen is fine)
chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Heat oil and butter in heavy bottomed dutch oven or large pot. Cook onion for a couple minutes until soft. Add smoked paprika and tomato paste and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until quite dark and caramelized, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic and saffron threads, give it a quick stir then pour in wine and pick up any stuck bits with a wooden spoon. Boil to reduce for about 3 minutes. Add fish stock or clam nectar, crushed tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
Add fish and prawns and cook, covered, for 5-7 minutes until prawns are pink and fish cooked through. Add crab meat and clams and stir to heat through. Test the broth and salt and pepper to taste. It will probably need a bit of salt but how much will depend on how salty your stock and seafood were.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve right away.