Authentic Portuguese Fish Stew Recipes

PORTUGUESE FISH STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy 4 to 6-quart pot over medium flame. Add the onions, garlic, and sausage; cook, stirring with wooden spoon, until the sausage renders out some of its fat and the onions are soft. Toss in the herbs and then the potatoes, stir that around for a minute to coat in the oil. Pour in the chicken broth and bring up to a simmer. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender.
• Uncover the pot and add the clams; simmer, covered, for 15 minutes until the clams open. Add the fish and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the fish is cooked. Garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil. Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and serve with Rustic Garlic Bread for dunking.
• Combine the garlic and herbs in a bowl. Pour in the oil, season with salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together with a spoon. Cut a slit down the middle of the loaf of bread, pour the garlic oil into the pocket, pressing with the back of a spoon to get the flavors into the bread. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil. Roast the garlic bread on a grill or bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 5 minutes until the outside is nice and crusty. Hand tear into pieces for serving.

PORTUGUESE FISH STEW

Steps:

• Stir together oil and potatoes in a 5-quart glass or ceramic casserole. Cover securely with microwave plastic wrap or a tightly fitting lid. Cook at 100 percent power for 4 minutes in a 650- to 700-watt oven. If using plastic, prick to release steam.
• Remove from oven. Place fish bones and heads on a double thickness of cheesecloth and tie securely with string. Add to casserole along with 2 1/2 cups of the wine and garlic. Cover and cook for 22 minutes, stirring twice.
• While potato mixture is cooking, halve fillets lengthwise and remove pin bones; try a tweezers. Cut across into 2-inch chunks.
• If using plastic, prick to release steam. Remove casserole from oven and uncover. Discard fish heads and bones in cheesecloth. Place fish over potatoes and top with kale. Re-cover and cook for 17 minutes. If using plastic, prick to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in remaining 1-cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, breaking up the fish as you stir. Re-cover and cook for 3 minutes more or until hot.

PORTUGUESE FISHERMAN'S STEW

Steps:

• Bring wine to simmer in small saucepan. Add saffron. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 15 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks and onion; sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add stock, tomatoes with their juices, oregano and saffron mixture. Simmer 20 minutes. Add sausage, mussels and clams. Cover; boil until shellfish open, about 8 minutes (discard any that do not open).
• Meanwhile, dip 1 side of fish in cornmeal. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add fish, cornmeal side down, and cook until bottom is golden, about 4 minutes. Turn fish over. Ladle 1 cup of soup over. Cover and simmer until fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer fish, cornmeal side up, to 4 shallow bowls. Arrange clams, mussels and sausage around fish. Top with remaining soup. Sprinkle with parsley.