Bowl of Brazillian Fish Stew
(click to enlarge)

Brazilian Fish Stew


Brazil   -   Moqueca de Peixe
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 6 cups
***
5 hrs
Yes		 This Fish Stew from Bahia in northern Brazil is lighter than the very intense Vatapás of the Afro-Brazilian cuisine, but is certainly a good main dish stew, served with rice.

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Fish fillet (1)
-- Marinade
Scallion
Onion
Cilantro
Ginger
Garlic
Dendê Oil (2)
Olive Oil ExtV
-- Vegies
Onion
Scallion
Garlic
Ginger root
Bell Pepper green
Bell Pepper yellow  
Tomatoes
Hearts of Palm
-- Run
Lemon Juice
Dendê Oil
Fish Stock (3)
Coconut Milk
Tomato Paste
Salt
Pepper, black

This recipe can be made hours ahead up to adding the fish, or a finished soup can be reheated easily if the chosen fish holds up fairly well to wet cooking.

Marinade   -   (3-1/2 hrs - 20 min work)
  1. Chop all MARINADE aromatics fine and mix with Dendê Oil and Olive Oil in a wide bowl.
  2. Cut FISH into largish bite size pieces. Tumble them with the Marinade in the wide bowl. Pack in a plastic bag, making sure the Marinade is well distributed among the fish. Squeeze all air out of the bag and seal it. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, turning the bag now and then.
Prep Vegies   -   (35 min)
  1. Chop ONION and SCALLION small. Mix.
  2. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice GINGER crosswise very thin, then chop fine. Mix.
  3. Blast both BELL PEPPERS black with your Kitchen Torch and brush off skin under running water (see Note-4). Core and dice about 1/4 inch.
  4. Scald TOMATOES one minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water and peel. Cut into 1/2 inch dice.
  5. Slice PALM HEARTS about 1/4 inch thick. Add to Tomatoes.
Run   -   (35 min)
  1. Bring out the Fish and place into a bowl with all the Marinade. Squeeze LEMON JUICE and pour over the fish.
  2. Heat Dendê Oil in a 3-1/2 quart sauté pan or similar. Fry Onion mix and Bell Peppers until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in Garlic mix until well distributed.
  4. Stir in Stock and bring to a boil. Stir in Coconut Milk and Tomato Paste. Season with Salt and Pepper.Bring back to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and simmer about 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the Fish and Marinade to the pan. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the fish flakes well and the marinade onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
  6. Stir in Tomato mix. Bring up hot and take off the heat.
  7. Serve hot with plenty of steamed long grain rice.
NOTES:

  1. Fish Fillet:

      This can be any light colored non-oily fish that holds together reasonably well in wet cooking. It is properly ocean fish, but fresh water fish can also be used. The photo example was made with Pacific Ocean Whitefish (Pacific Tilefish), which is not ideal for wet cooking, but it worked well enough.

  2. Dendê Oil:

      This is a bright orange Palm Oil available from some African or Brazilian markets or on-line. For details see our Dendê Oil page. The dish will not be ruined if you have to use the much more available coconut oil, especially if you color it with Annatto, which is easy to do.

  3. Fish Stock:

      This need not be made from the fish used in the recipe. I've usually made the stock well ahead, often from Golden Pompano, and used the fillets for other purposes. For details of making and keeping fish stock, see our recipe for Fish Stock.

  4. Bell Peppers:

      The pattern recipe did not call for this step, but, since my recipes tend to get reheated at least once, and I don't like loose skins floating around, I skin them.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste

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