One Pot Fisherman's Stew



I’ve been all about one pot meals lately. Cook everything, clean one thing. That’s my plan of attack. Nobody needs to sit there washing up a full sink of dishes. At least I know I don’t. I was fortunate enough to pass by Chapters when they had a cookbook sale not too long ago and picked up a book on one pot meals (plus a couple more on slow cooking, those to come later).

One recipe I really enjoyed was the Fisherman’s Stew (it really is more like a soup though since its more broth based rather than thick like a stew). It’s essentially a quick version of a cioppino which has more ingredients and longer cooking times. This recipe works great when you’re in a bind for time or missing ingredients. Plus, it’s got a bit of a spicy kick, which really helps wake up the appetite as well.

Nutritional Tidbit: Spicy foods have been known to curb hunger, improve mood and most importantly increase the flavouring of food with no extra fat or calories. The capsaicin, which gives peppers their kick is known to trigger feel good endorphins in the brain when ingested. For some it could cause heartburn so if you’re prone to that condition remember to avoid spicy foods on an empty stomach and always have some milk (not water) on hand.

I’ve outlined what should go in the stew, but you could always change it up, try using mussels, crab or other shellfish. It more then works with what you’ve got on hand and very flexible. I’ve also made it without the tomatoes, added potatoes instead and found that it was just as delicious. Since everything is in one pot, experimenting can never go wrong, all the flavours will eventually meld together to create an amazing dish at the end.



Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tomato, diced
1 pound cod fillet (or any white fish)
1 pound clams
8-10 large shrimps
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper
Bread for dipping

Preparation:
In a large stock pot, heat up a bit of olive or canola oil.

Add in the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent.

Stir in the red pepper flakes, thyme and white wine.

Pour in the chicken stock and at least 2 cups of water.

Once it starts to boil, add in the cod fillet, cover and cook for 2 mins. If the water level is low, add a bit more water in and let it boil.

Add in the clams and shrimp. Cover and cook until the clams open and shrimps are done. Flavour with salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop in to bowls and top with parsley. Serve with some bread for dipping and enjoy!

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