Elaine Cooks

Sicilian Fish Stew

Introduction

This is a wonderful dish to prepare for a special occasion. It feels special, and yet is very simple to make! The brodetto method of preparation, offered here, is a lighter, more broth-like version, popular in Sicily. For this recipe, I suggest adding in potato and white beans for a heartier meal; however, this is optional, depending upon the meal you are serving – for example, a lighter version without these starches may better complement a meal offering polenta as a side. A thicker variation, commonly referred to as zuppa di pesce, brings a thicker sauce, also referred to as sugo (which some Italian Americans also refer to as gravy), better prepared to ladle over pasta (very comforting to serve on a chilly winter night, for example!). Regardless of any variation you prefer, this dish craves warm crusty italian bread for indulgent dipping!

Mangia!

Ingredients

Serves 2-4

For the Soffritto

• 3 TB. olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely diced
• 3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
• A pinch (or so) of crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)

For the Stew Base

• 32 fl. oz. of fish broth
• 24.5 oz. jar of tomato passata (fine tomato puree)
• 4 c. of water
• 3/4 lb. cod fillets (or other firm white fleshed fish, depending upon availability at your local fish counter), cut into 1-inch squares
• 14 oz. mixed seafood (My preference would be small clams and mussels in their shells, thoroughly scrubbed; however, for this recipe, my local fish counter did not have any, and so, I pivoted, and purchased a package, frozen, from Whole Foods, which offers a medley of pre-cooked shrimp, mussels, scallops, squid – great quality!)
  • Tip: follow the package’s direction to thaw the contents before adding to the stew
• 1 medium russet potato, diced and lightly roasted, either in the oven or air fryer
• 1/2 can of cannellini beans, fully rinsed
• 1/4 c. green olives, pitted (I recommend castelvetrano olives)
• 3 TBs. small capers or, if large, coarsely chopped
• A pinch of saffron threads
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or, if not available, 1 tsp. dried thyme)
• Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

For the Soffritto Topping

• 2 TB. olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 2 TB thinly sliced scallions
• 3 TB. chopped fresh parsley
• zest of 1/4 lemon (tip: do not grate beyond the rind (the “yellow part”) – otherwise, the dish will render a bitter taste)
• Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper, to taste

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (if opting to roast the potato in the oven). If you prefer to use an air fryer, you my skip this step.

To begin the soffritto, drizzle the olive oil to a large caste iron pot (I enjoy using Le Creuset) over medium heat to warm. Add the onions and celery and gently stir to sweat out the vegetables. Raise the heat to medium and once you hear a sizzle, pour in the white wine. Once evaporated, add the garlic and stir. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Next, to prepare the stew, in the pot with the soffritto, add the stew base ingredients (fish stock, tomato passata, water, saffron and thyme). Leave the stew to simmer, approximately 30 minutes.

Separately, dice the potato, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread on a pan for the oven (as by now the oven is hopefully heated) or air fryer, making sure no pieces are overlapping. (Tip: I use a Cuisinart air fryer, which allows me to monitor temperature and time. As air fryers vary, cook the potatoes according to the manufacturer’s instructions to render a lightly golden crust.)

Separately, to assemble the soffritto topping to have prepared for serving, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Once warm, add scallions, garlic and lemon zest. Reduce heat to low. Very lightly season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if desired, and, turn stove off, but leave in pan to set aside for serving.

Check back on the stew. Stir in the potatoes and the rinsed beans, if opting to add them, being careful not to break up the beans. Taste, and adjust for seasoning (but only lightly season, as taste may change a bit once the fish is added).

Finally, add the fish fillets, and raise heat to medium, stirring lightly, with care not to flake the fish fillets. After approximately 2-3 minutes, add the shellfish. Once fully warmed, and the fish fillet pieces are cooked and the shellfish is heated through, taste once more, and adjust for seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately (although the stew may remain on the stove, but only over simmer to stay warm during service – any time longer on the stove will dry out the fish!).

Buon Appettito!