Fish Stew: Not Just For Crazy Old Sailors
by Annemarie Ahearn
Shopping for seafood in this city can be unpleasant, unless you know where to go and what to do once you’re there. But really, all you need to determine the freshness of seafood are a pair of discerning eyes and a savvy nose. Don’t go to market with a preconceived notion of what fish you’re looking for. Go with the understanding that you’re purchasing whatever looks good and fresh. When approaching a fish counter, take note of the smell. Does the air smell of the sea or does it smell like an old fishing boat? Look carefully at the fish. Is the flesh firm or does it look soft and handled? Are the eyes bright and bulging or dull and droopy? Are the gills red (indicating that the fish was recently caught) or maroon? Does the skin bounce back when you press on it? Also look at the volume. If there are plentiful amounts of clams and just a handful of mussels, go for the clams. You never want the end of something. A chef instructor/seafood specialist once told me the truth about grocery store seafood. Most of the fish you see in display cases are anywhere from four to eight days old and have changed hands a few times: the fisherman pulls it out of the water one day, drives it to a wholesale market the next; it sits on display for chefs and fishmongers for a day or two; then it gets prepared for groceries… etc. So be wary of the guy behind the counter when he says, “Oh, the snapper, just came in today.”
Saffron Seafood Stew (Serves 4)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fennel bulb, heart removed, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
A pinch of dried saffron
Splash of Pernod (optional)
1/2 bottle white wine (sauvignon blanc works well)
3 fillets ocean perch
8 Little Neck clams, cleaned
8 mussles, cleaned
8 shrimp, shells attached
A small handful Nantucket Bay scallops
A handful of flat-leaf Italian parsley, stemmed
Kosher salt; fresh ground black peppercorns
In a large, deep pot, heat the olive oil. Sauté the fennel ten minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for another five minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Generously salt and pepper the vegetables; add saffron. Splash vegetables with a 1/4 cup of Pernod and reduce until it’s nearly dry. Then pour in the white wine, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add two cups water. Bring to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer. Lay out seafood; rinse anything that smells fishy under cold water. Season with salt on both sides. Gently add the shellfish, fillets and shrimp to the pot and cover. Once the shellfish pop open, about five minutes, the stew is complete. Garnish with whole leaves of parsley.
Saffron Seafood Stew (Serves 4)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fennel bulb, heart removed, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
A pinch of dried saffron
Splash of Pernod (optional)
1/2 bottle white wine (sauvignon blanc works well)
3 fillets ocean perch
8 Little Neck clams, cleaned
8 mussles, cleaned
8 shrimp, shells attached
A small handful Nantucket Bay scallops
A handful of flat-leaf Italian parsley, stemmed
Kosher salt; fresh ground black peppercorns
In a large, deep pot, heat the olive oil. Sauté the fennel ten minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for another five minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Generously salt and pepper the vegetables; add saffron. Splash vegetables with a 1/4 cup of Pernod and reduce until it’s nearly dry. Then pour in the white wine, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add two cups water. Bring to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer. Lay out seafood; rinse anything that smells fishy under cold water. Season with salt on both sides. Gently add the shellfish, fillets and shrimp to the pot and cover. Once the shellfish pop open, about five minutes, the stew is complete. Garnish with whole leaves of parsley.
