Greek Fisherman’s Stew

By Florence Fabricant

Greek Fisherman’s Stew
Sabra Krock for The New York Times
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(2,448)
Comments
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It's summer, and no matter what you choose to drink, your plate should be bright with ripe beefsteak tomatoes and basil. If those treasures of the season complement a piece of fish, so much the better. Consider a kakavia, something Greek fishermen may assemble right on their boats, adding ingredients in fairly quick order as they cook in a round-bottomed pot also called a kakavia. It's a dish that welcomes wines that are clean-cut but with lip-smacking acidity balanced by sunny suggestions of melon and tropical fruit, like Austrian rieslings.

Featured in: Austrian Rieslings Set a High, Dry Standard

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1medium onion, diced
  • 6cloves garlic, sliced thin
  • 1small head fennel, diced
  • ¼teaspoon red chile flakes, or to taste
  • 2large beefsteak tomatoes, cored and chopped, with their juices
  • 1teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
  • 1cup dry white wine
  • ½pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2pounds wild striped bass fillets, skinned, cut in 12 pieces
  • 6basil leaves, torn
  • 1cup mayonnaise seasoned with 1½ teaspoons sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

304 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 1142 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Warm oil in a 4-quart saucepan or casserole over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and cook until soft but not brown. Add fennel and cook a few minutes, until softened. Stir in chile flakes. Add tomatoes and salt, cover and cook on medium about 10 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in wine and 2½ cups water, bring to a simmer, add potatoes and cook another 6 minutes or so, until potatoes are tender. Check seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice.

  3. Step 3

    Season fish pieces with salt and pepper, place them in the stew and simmer on low, covered, until fish is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, warm 6 generous soup plates.

  4. Step 4

    When fish is done, remove it to the warm soup plates. Remove pot from heat, stir in basil, just to wilt it, and divide soup among the 6 plates. Serve spiced mayonnaise alongside if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,448 user ratings
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Comments

Elinor

Fabulous--my favorite fish dish now. Three suggestions: potatoes need much more cooking time. Add at an earlier step. Next time I'm slicing the fennel rather than chopping it to distinguish it from the chopped onion and to announce itself. I added saffron, which was a great earlier suggestion. Oh, and cod worked great.

Kevin Osinski

Excellent. Used black cod as striped bass was unavailable. Paired beautifully with an Austrian Riesling, as suggested. Simmered the potatoes for more like 30 minutes rather than 6 to get them to the right texture before adding the fish. Next time I might double the potatoes -- they seemed disproportionately scarce.

Yoko

This was really delicious! A perfect dish for a relaxed summer dinner since it doesn't require turning on the oven. Added bonus is that the broth can be prepared in advance and the fish added just a few minutes in advance. Great to prepare for dinner guests since it allows you to spend more time with them, and less in the kitchen!
I think the recipe would work well with any firm white-fleshed fish.

Hailey

I'm down in the Houston area and on a teacher's salary, so I made this with tilapia and it turned out great! I followed a lot of the suggestions in the comments like doubling the potatoes and increasing cooking times. I also used a seafood stock instead of water to add a touch more flavor. I will be making this again!

Dan

Added kale - because if I can add greens to a soup it’s so much healthier and tastier. Also used cod. Potatoes should be larger chunks so you can taste them more.

CathyM

My friend recommended I make this and am I ever glad I did! Yes, the potatoes take longer than 6 minutes - mine were about 20. Didn't use saffron as others suggested, but did use chicken stock over water. Also sliced the fennel and used 2 large beefsteak tomatoes. Used cod loins - outstanding dish! Definitely making again as is - oh and don't forget the mayo aioli - I put the basil in the bottom of the dish, ladled the stew over top, then put a dollop of the aioli on top with parsley. YUM!

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