Fish and Kale Stew
Sometimes, simpler is better. Although I often forget it. I get carried away. Call it enthusiasm. Or rank stupidity. (Wait--aren't those often the same thing?) Yesterday, Bruce and I were on a New Haven TV show: Connecticut Style. And yes, I got carried away. And as a recompense, received my first bleep on air. After ten years , it was bound to happen sometime. Because I get carried away. If you want to see the hijinks, check out the clip here.
So what does all this have to do with this fish stew, made with shrimp and cod as well as sturdy kale, one of winter's delights? Well, for one thing, a simple stew like this is not really me. (Just wait until you see what's up next week on this blog, my friend!) But it's what I crave in all my windy fandango: simplicity.
No doubt about it, I'm baroque. To say the least. By contrast, Bruce is steady, straight-on. Mozart to my counterpoint. Poor guy, he has to endure endless days of Bach, particularly when I've pulled out the overdrive on the writing mode. (The first-ever book on goat, anyone? I've got Bach's Cantata #37 blasting right now, the speakers only inches away.)
When it gets like this--just as it was on that TV show the other day--he sort of brings the whole thing back to reality. And does the best thing he could: he feeds me comfort food. Like a great fish stew. Could anything be better?
First, heat a big pot over medium heat. Swirl in a little olive oil (you don't really measure, do you?) and then add 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed and halved. No pearl onions on hand? They're pretty easy to find in the freezer case. But if not, use a chopped medium onion or a few chopped shallots.
Stir the onions around until golden, about 3 minutes; then add three or four slivered garlic cloves as well as this mixture: 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon saffron, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. That's a mighty amount, but it creates a wonderful, aromatic balance against the kale and fish. Stir those herbs and spices over the heat a few seconds, just until aromatic; then add 3 cups packed, chopped, stemmed kale leaves.
Stir the kale until somewhat wilted, then pour in 1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth. Bring it to a full simmer, stirring up any browned bits on the pot's bottom. Continue cooking it at a full simmer until the liquid is about half its original amount, a couple minutes at most.
Pour in 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Drain a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes in a colander set in the sink, then add those tomatoes to the pot as well. Bring the whole thing to a full simmer again; then cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer very slowly for 40 minutes, stirring once in a while. At this point, the kale should be tender.
Finally, raise the heat back to medium and add the fish and shellfish, cooking it uncovered just until tender, no more than 3 or 4 minutes. Bruce put in 8 ounces tilapia fillets, cut into spoon-sized chunks; 8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp; 6 ounces cod fillets, cut into chunks; and 4 ounces frozen, cleaned squid, thawed and cut into rings. But honestly, you could put just about any fish or shellfish medley in the pot once you've got all those herbs, spices, and the kale going on. His total adds up to a little more than a pound and a half. Maybe you could use a pound of tilapia and 10 ounces of shrimp? Or a pound of cod and a half pound of scallops, cut in half? The point here is a medley of fish. But not too baroque. Lest you too get bleeped when you're making this fantastic stew.
Mark Scarbrough | Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 9:03AM cod, comfort food, cussing, fish, kale, shrimp, simple, stew, television, tilapia 
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Reader Comments (3)
wow, that sounds amazing!! simple, hearty, and good for the soul. Perfect.
I made this for my Italian mom on Sunday and she is still raving about it! I love the way the flavor of the herbs, fish, tomatos and kale all complimented each other and made our taste buds sing. Can't wait to make it again!
Twoscoops: Thank you so very much. And thanks for posting on the blog, too. Great soup, I agree. (Although right now, as I sit in Florida, I can't imagine a bowl of hot soup. But when I'm back in Connecticut. . . .)