Fisherman’s Stew
There’s nothing like the combination of flavors in this fish stew recipe. My fisherman’s stew is similar to an Italian fish stew dish called cioppino, but with a few changes. For example, I add bacon! Just about everything is better with bacon, right?
The way the fish, bacon, and onions meld together as they stew in the white wine base can’t compare to anything else. This is an amazing fish stew that features a literal “ocean” of flavors!
Fresh herbs — parsley and thyme — and cloves of garlic add both flavor and health benefits.
You can make this fisherman’s stew from many different types of white fish. Cod, sea bass, tilapia, halibut, scallops — you can go by taste and texture and use what you have on hand. I like to use a firm white fish like flounder fillets. For simplicity, I use just one type of fish as the protein in this recipe, but you could add clams, shrimp, mussels, or other shellfish if you want a seafood stew with a variety of flavors.
In this recipe, the flavor of fish, bacon, and onions meld together as they stew in the white wine broth. You can mix it up with red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro instead of parsley, or lime instead of lemon. You can also add a bay leaf. Other possible substitutions include olive oil instead of butter and chicken stock or vegetable broth instead of the fish stock. Some people also use clam juice.
A dry white wine such as a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc is ideal for the soup broth.
Also try Fish in Crazy Water, a poached fish recipe that I made on an episode of The Sporting Chef.
Fisherman’s Stew
Ingredients
- 6 slices good quality bacon without nitrates
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 large onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes or 1 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes, diced
- 2/3 cup vermouth or white wine
- 2 1/2 cups fish stock
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 2 pounds skinless flounder fillets cut into large chunks
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish
- 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Fry bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until light brown but not crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
- Melt the butter in the pan with the bacon fat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and herbs and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, vermouth or wine, and stock and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, cover, and simmer the stew for 15 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover again, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender.
- Add the chunks of fish and the bacon strips. Leave uncovered and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked and the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon to add brightness. Garnish with flat leaf parsley.
