Fish Stew

In my younger years, my impoverished family, which included sixteen siblings and me, often dined on my mother’s famous earthworm and dandelion sashimi.  Then the family moved to Everglade Acres, a new swamp development, and my father taught the older boys how to fish, using us younger boys as very quick and unwilling bait.

I developed a real taste for fish in the muddy, bite or be bitten world we fished in.  I also remembered wetting my pants each time I heard the words, “Wanna go fishin’?”  

Shortly afterwards, my seven year old cousin, Gorina, and I hatched a plan to get married and move closer to the coast.  The Everglades mayor, who was also the chief of police, justice of the peace, taxidermist, and mortician, married us in a very private ceremony, under cover of darkness, which consisted of few words:  Do you?  Yep. Well ok then. And free taxidermy for the first one who dies.

Living on the coast of Costa Rica, after fleeing from my father’s angry pack of bloodhounds, Gorina learned to make a delicious Fish Stew, which is the recipe I offer you today.

Fish Stew:  nothing fishy about it

Extra Virgin Olive Oil  (that label always puzzles me for obvious reasons.)

1 large, sweet onion, diced

2 large celery stalks, split and sliced cross grain

salt and pepper

5 large cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1-2 tablespoons herbes de Provence, or herbs of your choice

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons capers

1 cup dry white wine (I used Goya brand)

3 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste (intensifies the tomato flavor)

2 eight-ounce bottles of clam juice (check the label for pure clam juice)

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup crab meat

¾  pound wild caught salmon

½ pound (or more) any solid fleshed white fish

½ pound shrimp, peeled

¼ cup raisins (optional for me, or mandatory for certain people)

2 packed cups chopped cilantro (I use both leaves and stems)

Puttin’ It Together

Slosh some olive oil in a 5 quart Dutch oven and turn the heat to medium.  Add the celery, onions, garlic, a dash of salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly until the onion is wilted.  Add herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes and cook until the wonderful fragrance tickles your nostrils and weakens your resolve to save the rest of the bottle of wine for dinner.

Add the white wine and stir, then add the clam juice, vegetable broth, and capers. Plus raisins, if you must.

Cook for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to blend and passion to build.  

Good time to pour that third glass of wine.

Add the fish, crab meat, and shrimp.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let it stand another 5-10 minutes so the fish will finish cooking.

Stir in the chopped cilantro and crack open that second bottle of wine.

Serve with crusty bread.

Pretend you just came in from the swamp and are really hungry….on second thought, you won’t have to pretend about the hunger part.