This fish stew comes together very quickly and is easy to put together for a last minute supper. It is obviously better with fresh fish and shellfish but works with fish from the freezer as well if you need to make it at the last minute.
I typically make fish stews with a garlicky tomato base but in this case I wanted the fish to really shine through and basically just poached everything in a fish broth that I made while I was prepping the fish. I wanted a light, summery dinner but you could bulk this up with fennel and potatoes for a more substantial dish, keeping in mind that this will take a lot longer to cook. I thought it was beautifully balanced but will admit that it is not the most aesthetically pleasing dish - the stock, while fishy liquid heaven, is a bit murky looking. I considered the addition of cream but wanted to retain the original simple flavors so went without.
I had also planned on topping this dish with large garlic scented French bread croûtons but my child ate the baguette for an afternoon snack so we went without. I think the crunch would be a good addition, so feel free to thinly cut some baguette, rub each slice with a peeled garlic clove, drizzle with olive oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes until toasted.
Easy. Really.
2 lbs assorted fish and shellfish (I used shrimp, cod, scallops and squid)
1 generous handful fennel fronds, roughly chopped
2 stems green garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsps white wine
Red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
Boil 2 cups of water. Pour over the fennel fronds and set aside to infuse.
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until the oil is sizzling. Add the chopped green garlic and salt to keep the garlic from burning. Cook, stirring constantly until the green garlic has softened. Add the shrimp shells and any fish trimmings you have and stir well. Add the white wine and stir, pressing down hard on the shells with the back of your spoon.
Lower the heat and add the bowl of fennel tea, fronds and all. Allow to bubble away, uncovered, while you prep the fish. Stir from time to time, pressing down on the shrimp shells each time to release flavor.
Cut the fish that you are using into bite-sized pieces. Slice the squid into rounds. If using large prawns or shrimp, slice in half lengthwise. Make sure that all pieces of fish and shellfish are of a size to cook the same amount of time.
Strain the stock through a strainer, add the clear liquid back to the pan. Bring back to a boil over medium heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Add the fish and poach for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size you made your fish.
Transfer to four soup dishes and sprinkle with some red pepper flakes.