Sicilian Grilled Tuna Stew
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 12, 2011
Time
2½ hours
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces (see illustrations below)1 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 peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, cut into small dice3 medium cloves garlic, minced12 olives (preferably Sicilian oil-cured), pitted and halved2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted2 tablespoons golden raisins ½ 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 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, minced (or more to taste)Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds tuna steaks (about 6 steaks)olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnishBefore You Begin
Serve this stew with bruschetta -- slices of country-style Italian bread, grilled or broiled, rubbed with cut garlic and drizzled with olive oil, (see related recipe)
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; save the remainder for another 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, 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. (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.
- Brush tuna steaks with olive oil and grill or broil until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
- Add fish to simmering base and stock, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Put soup in a tureen or ladle into individual soup plates. Sprinkle with parsley, for garnish, and serve immediately.
for the fish stock
for the fish stew base
for the stew
Time
2½ hoursYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
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 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)
Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into small dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
12 olives (preferably Sicilian oil-cured), pitted and halved
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons golden raisins
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
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, minced (or more to taste)
Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds tuna steaks (about 6 steaks)
olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
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 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)
Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into small dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
12 olives (preferably Sicilian oil-cured), pitted and halved
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons golden raisins
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
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, minced (or more to taste)
Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds tuna steaks (about 6 steaks)
olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Fish Stock
3 pounds fish trimmings, rinsed and cut into 3-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
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 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper (of your choice)
Fish Stew Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into small dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
12 olives (preferably Sicilian oil-cured), pitted and halved
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons golden raisins
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
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, minced (or more to taste)
Fish Fillets and Garnish
3 pounds tuna steaks (about 6 steaks)
olive oil
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
Serve this stew with bruschetta -- slices of country-style Italian bread, grilled or broiled, rubbed with cut garlic and drizzled with olive oil, (see related recipe)
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; save the remainder for another 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, 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. (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.
- Brush tuna steaks with olive oil and grill or broil until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Set aside.
- Add fish to simmering base and stock, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Put soup in a tureen or ladle into individual soup plates. Sprinkle with parsley, for garnish, and serve immediately.
for the fish stock
for the fish stew base
for the stew
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