Southern Fish Stew Recipes

SOUTHERN FISH STEW

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat and saute the chopped onion, stirring often, until it just begins to color around the edges, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add the okra and Cavender's seasoning and stir well. Saute this for 3 minutes or so if you have fresh or frozen okra. If you are using dried, just mix it around a bit.
• Pour in the water, stock and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add salt to taste. Add the hominy, beans and sausage. Simmer, don't boil, for 15 minutes.
• Add the fish and simmer another 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped chives and serve. If you want to bulk this up a bit, crush Saltines into the soup while eating.

FISH STEW SOUTHERN STYLE

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan, sauté onions in oil until tender. Stir in tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and hot pepper sauce.
• Simmer uncovered 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add the fish and simmer uncovered 10 to 15 more minutes or until the fish turns opaque and just flakes when tested with a fork.
• Remove the bay leaves. Thicken the soup with equal parts of flour and water if you desire it thicker. Serve in soup bowls or over rice.

SOUTHERN CATFISH STEW

Steps:

• Wash the catfish fillets and cut them into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
• Fry the bacon for 2 to 3 minutes in a large heavy saucepan; add the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender.
• Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
• Cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Add the fish and cook for another 20 minutes.
• Correct the seasonings if necessary and serve hot with cornbread.

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA FISH STEW

Steps:

• Cut the bacon slices into 1-inch squares. Brown them in the bottom of a 10-to-12-quart stockpot over medium heat. Once bacon is crisp, remove it and reserve, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. Whisk the tomato paste into the fat, making sure you scrape up all the brown bits left from browning the bacon.
• Turn the heat off and begin layering the ingredients in the stockpot. Start with a layer of potatoes, followed by a layer of onions and garlic, followed by a layer of fish. Top the fish with roughly a third of the salt, a third of the chile flakes and 1 bay leaf. Repeat this layering process two more times.
• Fill the pot with enough cool water to just barely reach the top of the fish. (If there's a little fish peeking out over the top, that's O.K. - better than if it's swimming in water.) Cover the pot with a tightfitting lid and slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. (Throughout the cooking, resist the urge to stir.) Once it starts to boil, reduce heat and let it cook, covered, at a high simmer for about 15 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness. They should be barely tender, not falling apart.
• Use a large spoon to remove the fat from the surface of the soup, and discard. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed. Then, with the stew at a good simmer, add the eggs one by one in a single layer over the top. (Crack each egg into a small cup before dropping it in.) Cook the eggs for 5 minutes until they are lightly set.
• As soon as the eggs are lightly set, use a large ladle to portion out the stew. A proper serving is at least half a fish steak, some potatoes, some onions and an egg swimming in broth. Shower each bowl with bacon, and serve immediately with a piece or two of bread, if desired.

FISH AND POTATO STEW

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion, olives, and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cooked potatoes, tomatoes, wine, fish stock, and tomato paste. Mix well and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Add fish fillets. Mix carefully and simmer until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 4 minutes.