Fish Stew
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 12, 2011
Time
2¾ hours
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces1 medium onion, cut into small dice2 medium carrots, cut into small dice1 large rib celery, cut into small dice8 parsley stems, chopped1 cup dry white wine ¼ medium lemon 10 black peppercorn 2 bay leaves 1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, cut into small dice1 medium rib celery, cut into small dice1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small dice3 medium cloves garlic, minced½ cup dry white wine 2 cups medium tomatoes, chopped, or canned tomatoes2 large bay leaves ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)Salt and ground black pepper ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or dried basil (optional)Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds fish fillets, preferably a mix of firm and tender white fleshed fish, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 3-to-4-ounce pieces3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnishBefore You Begin
Fish is done when it feels firm and springs back to the touch. Be sure that you do not cook until the fish flakes. Serve with crusty bread or slices of toast.
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a 6- to 8-quart pot. Cover with 2 3/4 quarts cold water. Bring to boil over medium heat; simmer slowly for about 1 hour, periodically skimming away scum that rises to surface.
- Strain stock through double thickness of cheesecloth, pressing out as much liquid as possible with back of a spoon. Reserve 4 1/2 cups for this recipe, reserve the remainder for future use. (Stock can be cooled and refrigerated up to three days or frozen up to three months.)
- Heat oil in a large soup kettle. Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic; cook over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add wine; simmer until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil; simmer until thickened to a tomato sauce consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Use as flavoring base, along with 2 quarts fish stock or water and 3 pounds of tender white fleshed fish. (Base can be cooled and refrigerated up to three days or frozen up to three months.)
- Mix base and fish stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
- Add firmer fish pieces; simmer for 2 minutes. Add smaller, more delicate fish; simmer, stirring gently to ensure even cooking, until fish is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove kettle from heat; cover and let stand until fish is just cooked, about 5 minutes. Put soup in a tureen or ladle into individual soup plates. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
for the fish stock
for the fish stew base
for the stew
Time
2¾ hoursYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
2 medium carrots, cut into small dice
1 large rib celery, cut into small dice
8 parsley stems, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
¼ medium lemon
10 black peppercorn
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)
Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1 medium rib celery, cut into small dice
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups medium tomatoes, chopped, or canned tomatoes
2 large bay leaves
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or dried basil (optional)
Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds fish fillets, preferably a mix of firm and tender white fleshed fish, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 3-to-4-ounce pieces
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
2 medium carrots, cut into small dice
1 large rib celery, cut into small dice
8 parsley stems, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
¼ medium lemon
10 black peppercorn
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)
Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1 medium rib celery, cut into small dice
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups medium tomatoes, chopped, or canned tomatoes
2 large bay leaves
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or dried basil (optional)
Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds fish fillets, preferably a mix of firm and tender white fleshed fish, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 3-to-4-ounce pieces
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
2 medium carrots, cut into small dice
1 large rib celery, cut into small dice
8 parsley stems, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
¼ medium lemon
10 black peppercorn
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)
Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1 medium rib celery, cut into small dice
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups medium tomatoes, chopped, or canned tomatoes
2 large bay leaves
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or dried basil (optional)
Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds fish fillets, preferably a mix of firm and tender white fleshed fish, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 3-to-4-ounce pieces
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted a fish stew recipe that was flavorful and easy to make, with perfectly cooked—not overcooked—fish. We started our testing by making a favorite fish stew with homemade fish stock, water, chicken stock, and a cheater stock that started with bottled clam juice. The stew made with homemade fish stock was far superior. Because fish does not have time to flavor the stew liquid (it will dry out and fall apart if cooked for more than a few minutes), the liquid must start out tasting good. Bottled clam juice, doctored up with some fresh ingredients, was the second choice for our fish stew recipe if making fish stock is impossible.
Before You Begin
Fish is done when it feels firm and springs back to the touch. Be sure that you do not cook until the fish flakes. Serve with crusty bread or slices of toast.
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a 6- to 8-quart pot. Cover with 2 3/4 quarts cold water. Bring to boil over medium heat; simmer slowly for about 1 hour, periodically skimming away scum that rises to surface.
- Strain stock through double thickness of cheesecloth, pressing out as much liquid as possible with back of a spoon. Reserve 4 1/2 cups for this recipe, reserve the remainder for future use. (Stock can be cooled and refrigerated up to three days or frozen up to three months.)
- Heat oil in a large soup kettle. Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic; cook over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add wine; simmer until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil; simmer until thickened to a tomato sauce consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Use as flavoring base, along with 2 quarts fish stock or water and 3 pounds of tender white fleshed fish. (Base can be cooled and refrigerated up to three days or frozen up to three months.)
- Mix base and fish stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
- Add firmer fish pieces; simmer for 2 minutes. Add smaller, more delicate fish; simmer, stirring gently to ensure even cooking, until fish is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove kettle from heat; cover and let stand until fish is just cooked, about 5 minutes. Put soup in a tureen or ladle into individual soup plates. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
for the fish stock
for the fish stew base
for the stew
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