Fish Stew with Peppers, Almonds and Saffron

A stew does not have to be boring; this dish emphasizes that fact. It is a decadent stew filled with gorgeous seafood and aromatics, including smoked Spanish (or any kind) paprika, and rich from finely ground almonds. This is a stew I could have every day, and it is quite easy to make, too.

I was limited to using fish, red snapper, and small shrimp in this stew, but feel free to use mussels or clams, as the original recipe calls for. Calamari would also be perfect for this dish. Adjust the cooking times and the order in which you add the seafood to suit your choices. This book has languished on my shelf for some time. I bought it as almost every Spanish cookbook list has this book highly rated. After making this recipe, I can see why. This book focuses on the flavours of the Moors and the Muslim conquerors of Spain and the blend of these flavours and cooking techniques. The ability of the author to highlight the finer aspects of this distinct cuisine makes this book so wonderful. This book is a collector's item on any cook's bookshelf.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, sliced finely

1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2-3 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika or any sweet smoked paprika

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups dry white wine or 2 teaspoons lemon juice

One 14-ounce can of crushed Italian tomatoes or 3-4 tomatoes finely diced

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads crumbled into 2 tablespoons of hot water

1/4 cup roasted almonds

1/4 lb shrimp

1 1/4 pounds monkfish, red snapper or other light fish without skin, meat cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy casserole. Add the onion, bell pepper strips and garlic and season with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the rosemary, paprika and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine or lemon juice and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water and saffron water and bring to a boil. Cover the casserole tightly and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes. This should resemble a pasta sauce at this stage.

Toast the almonds in a pan on medium heat until lightly browned. Finely grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the water to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir the almonds into the stew and simmer until slightly thickened about 3 minutes. Add the seafood, cover it, and season it with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer to bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread or rice.