Fish Stew With Clams Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the stock: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, celery, carrot, and onion and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add fish bones and head and enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to a gentle simmer and let cook for 25 minutes, skimming the surface as necessary. Strain through a fine mesh strainer; discard solids and set aside.
• Prepare the suquet: Place a grater over a bowl and rub the cut surface of the tomatoes over the grater until all the flesh is grated; discard skins. In a deep pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Stir in grated tomato and sugar, if using; continue cooking 2 minutes more. Add saffron and pimenton and cook for one minute.
• Add enough stock to just cover the potatoes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Prepare the picada: Using a mortar and pestle, mash garlic and salt together until a thick paste is formed. Add parsley and one piece of potato from the stew; mix until well combined. Set aside.
• Season fish fillets with salt and cut each in half so you have four equal pieces; add to pot along with clams. Cook until clams begin to open, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in picada and season with salt. Serve immediately with allioli, if desired.

Steps:

• 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).
• 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.
• 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.)
• 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.
• 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.

Steps:

• Place the garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Add the anchovy fillets and mash with the garlic. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion, celery and carrot with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the pureed garlic and anchovy. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is very fragrant, about one minute, and then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and the mixture smells aromatic, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the water, potatoes, salt (to taste) and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover partially and simmer 30 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add pepper to taste. Remove the bouquet garni.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper, and stir into the soup. The soup should not be boiling. Simmer five to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets) or just until it flakes easily when poked. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, taste once more, adjust seasonings and serve.