This is a wonderful dish to serve as the main course for a dinner party, as it is simple, you can make it ahead of time (even the day before–the flavor improves overnight!), and people love it! Just serve with a salad and bread! If you have any leftover seafood in your refrigerator or freezer, just add it during the last few minutes of cooking!
Serves 6 to 8 people
3/4 lb. cod, cut into chunks (ask fish monger to do it for you)
3/4 lb. flounder, cut into chunks (ask fish monger to do it for you)
(feel free to substitute other white fish)
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled. Reserve peels. Use USA Gulf Shrimp for your healthiest and greenest option!
1 quart fresh chopped clams in their liquid
28-32 oz. can organic tomatoes
1 green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups red wine (I used bordeaux-only use something you enjoy drinking!)
1 TBS herbs de Provence
1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (depending on how much of a bite you like)
rind from one orange (just the large pieces)
2 TBS anise liqueur (optional)
Heat olive oil in large pot. Add onion, garlic, parsley, and green pepper and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add cumin and stir. Add can of tomatoes and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, pressing with a wooden spoon to break up and crush the tomotoes. Add tomato sauce, wine, liquid from clams (drain them in a sieve resting over a bowl-put the clams back into the refrigerator after draining them until ready to add to the stew), herbs de Provence, and crushed red pepper. Cut a piece of cheesecloth big enough to hold the shrimp shells and orange rind, tie up with kitchen twine so that they infuse flavor into the broth and it is easy to remove the “package” before serving. Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes (longer is fine–I actually cooked it on low heat for a couple of hours the other night). Add cut up fish and clams; cook until done. Add shrimp and cook another 5 or 10 minutes. Remove cheesecloth package containing shrimp shells and orange rind before serving. If you want to add anise liqueur, add it at the end just a minute or two before serving.
Be careful on that tilapia… see this link:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/farmed-tilapia-may-be-no-better-for-you-than-a-doughnut/article702042/
Otherwise , very nice. I fed this kind of thing to my kids often and it was one of their favourites. – B.Till