Italian-Style Fish Stew

By David Tanis

Italian-Style Fish Stew
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(1,633)
Comments
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This is a simple Italianate fish stew, with classic Mediterranean flavors. It’s easy to put together and everything can be prepped ahead. Just pop it the oven 30 minutes before dinner.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2pounds white-fleshed fish fillets, such as hake, snapper or sea bass, skin removed
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2teaspoons chopped thyme or marjoram
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1small lemon, thinly sliced
  • 2cups diced white onion
  • 4minced garlic cloves, plus 1 whole garlic clove for rubbing bread
  • ¼teaspoon crushed saffron
  • ½teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½teaspoon crushed fennel seed
  • 1bay leaf
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1cup dry white wine
  • 2cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
  • 3cups fish stock, light chicken broth or water
  • 12large clams
  • 4thick slices country bread
  • ¼cup chopped parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

421 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 1234 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

    Marinate the fish: Cut fish into 2-inch chunks and place in a medium bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add half the chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lemon slices. Toss to coat and set aside for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 8 hours).

  2. Step 2

    Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring, 5 or 6 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add reserved thyme, minced garlic, saffron, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, bay leaf and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Add wine, tomatoes and stock or water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust; the broth should be well seasoned. (This seasoned base may be prepared up to 1 day in advance, if desired.)

  4. Step 4

    Heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange fish, clams and lemon slices in the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch baking dish or a wide earthenware casserole of similar size. Ladle the broth over everything, cover and bake for 20 minutes, or until clams have opened and fish flakes easily.

  5. Step 5

    Toast the bread and rub each slice with garlic. Sprinkle parsley over the soup. Serve in low soup bowls, giving each guest some fish, clams, broth and garlic toast.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,633 user ratings
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Comments

A. Cleary

Chef Pace, excuse me if this seems like a silly question, but how can I tell if fish is just about to flake? As someone who loves fish but has had her share of disasters, I'd welcome some advice.

Sal Lombardi

This is really a great stew, to which almost any seafood can be added. Only change I recommend is removing the lemon slices after the seafood has been marinated. Leaving the lemon slices to cook with the fish gave the resulting sauce a bitterness that comes from the lemon pith. The flavor of lemon can easily be enhanced with the addition of lemon zest or juice.

JimG

Cooking fish and clams at 450°F is sure to overcook both of them. I'd bring the broth to a boil, lower to a simmer to cook for 15 minutes, then bring it back up to a rolling boil and pour it over the seafood in the casserole. Lower the heat to 250°F and cook it only until the clams open and the thinnest edge of the fish flakes when you press it gently. It will continue to cook, but with the lower temperature, you have a chance to serve the fish before it's overcooked.

J. Stahl

This was very good. Kept it on the stove, cooked fish, shrimp, clams for just a few minutes. Used fresh, thinly sliced fennel and a more generous pinch of saffron. Excellent!

Gloria S.

Thanks to the comments, I separately steamed the clams in white wine at the same time I added the seafood and shrimp to the stew, which I was cooking strove-top in a Dutch oven. The clams and the other seafood finished at the same time — about seven minutes. I then just dumped the opened clams and broth into the stew and it was ready to serve. Making this stove-top was great because I could keep an eye on the seafood. This is a great stew — rave reviews all around.

Carol from Chapel Hill

This is truly outstanding. I have made it a few times, and made it again yesterday to test as a main dish option for the pescatarians at Thanksgiving. Yup. Definitely. BTW, it's good with a frozen medley of seafood instead of just fish. I also like using fresh fennel (1/2 or a whole bulb is fine!) I also like adding either potatos, or thin noodle like somen.

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