Happy New Year everyone! I do apologize for the long break I've taken the past few weeks. Scrumptious Street became a houseful of family, holiday cheer and good raucous fun. Unfortunately, that left me no time for blogging. Mr. Scrumptious and I are a family of two. The past month we more than tripled to a household of 7! Let me say that I have renewed respect and admiration for any and all parents! Cooking for three children is definitely...different than what I'm used to.
This recipe started out as one of those, "let's clean out the refrigerator" dinners but it turned into something very special and very tasty, so I must share it with you. Even though the photo doesn't look like the stew is unique, believe me, it is. I'll tell you why in a moment. But here, is my "Red Snapper Stew".
The key to this stew is the base. Rather than a traditional chicken stock or vegetable stock, I used my homemade artichoke braising liquid as the stock base. It rocked! I cannot describe how delicious and full of flavor this stew was because of that choice. And, the woody, slightly tangy flavor was a perfect pairing with the hearty and rich flesh of Red Snapper. You may wonder how in the world did I get artichoke stock. Well, one thing I haven't told you all on this blog is that when I cook, I almost never throw anything away that I know is loaded with flavor. So, as many of you know, I love artichokes and have been cooking them a lot since we moved to the Artichoke Capital of the World. Over the holidays, I made some wonderful braised artichokes and reserved all of the cooking liquid. It came in perfectly handy when the skies of Northern California showed us what winter means here. Cold, hungry and needing something comforting, I pulled out the artichoke broth, removed the bay leaf and rummaged in the fridge for all the vegetables needing to be used. With the fresh red snapper, this stew just came alive and was really terrific. Another special note here: I had an ear of corn left-over that had been grilled. Yes, grilling in December. California is wonderful that way, Old Man Winter seems to suffer from dissociative identity disorder...
The smoky flavor of the grilled corn was also another winner. So much, that I would suggest when you make this to grill any vegetables in advance. You don't have to use what I did, just use whatever you've got on hand. But, try to use a grill pan or an open flame to impart a charred flavor to at least one or two of the "sweet" vegetables you may use. It was a huge part to why this stew turned into something worthy of posting on this blog. I also made the conscious choice to use fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Once I had the smoky theme going, I wanted to build on it. You can see the black charred flakes in the photo. It really was part of the soup's tripartite foundation of artichoke flavor, smokiness and hearty fish. Fire-roasted red pepper would also be great in this stew. We loved it and hope you do too. Next time you make artichokes, SAVE THAT BROTH.
Ingredient
Serves 4
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 small white potato, peeled and medium-diced
1/2 head cauliflower florets, cleaned and medium-diced
2 carrots, peeled and medium-diced
1 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1 ear fresh corn, grilled if possible, kernels shaved off (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper or to taste
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
2 shallots, peeled and medium-diced
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/4 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
2 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
5 cups artichoke braising broth remove the bay leaf (or homemade vegetable or fish stock as substitute)
1 14.5 oz. can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 red snapper fillets, roughly chopped
Method:
1. Make vegetable stock or use existing artichoke braising liquid that you've saved. Wash and prep all vegetables and fish.
2. Heat a large enameled cast-iron dutch oven or your favorite soup stock pot on medium-high. Add the olive oil and when sizzling hot, sauté the cauliflower, potato, carrots, corn and green beans. Add the salt and pepper. After 2-3 minutes, add the leeks and shallots and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to get tender and the shallots are translucent and softening.
3. Add the wine and herbs and stir thoroughly. Let the wine cook and reduce by about half to fully season the vegetables. Add the artichoke broth when vegetables are tender and the wine has reduced and bring stew to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
4. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes to the stew, stir thoroughly and taste, checking seasoning and adjusting as necessary. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes more.
5. Add the red snapper and cook until the fish is just white, opaque, tender and flaky. If the fish is fresh and your stew is hot, this should only take between 3-4 minutes. (You do not want to overcook the fish or it will turn a stiff and rubbery texture, so don't walk away to do something else!) Serve immediately and enjoy with a hearty crusty bread.
Comments