Spanish Fish Stew

This Spanish Fish Stew is bursting with flavour with garlic, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, fennel seeds and juicy tomatoes. It takes just 5 minutes of prep and under 15 minutes to cook. Perfect in both summer and winter, this is a hearty one pot meal that will leave your tastebuds tingling.

What Makes This Dish Special?

• Its spicy, its smoky, its got loads of texture and a hint of sweetness.
• Ony 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes on the stove
• No special gadgets needed
• Use any type of firm white fish
• Also works with salmon and prawns/shrimp, or mixed seafood
• Its a simple and easy one pot meal with barely any mess to clean up
• Its easy to make more or less spicy depending on your preferences
• Is perfect with garlic bread to soak up all the juices.

Fish Stew Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

1. Fish:  I’ve used both flathead and snapper for this recipe in the past.  Any firm white fish (barramindi, sweetlip, cod, sea bass, halibut would be fine).  You could even use salmon.  Its important to cut the fish pieces into evenly sized chunks so that they cook evenly (and quickly) in the broth at the end.  2.5cm cubes or 1 inch cubes
2. Fish Stock/broth:  If you can’t find fish stock, you can use chicken stock which will also add a nice flavour.  Vegetable stock could also be used although it has less flavour.  Avoid using all water instead of stock as much of the flavour will be lost.
3. Cous Cous:  Pearl cous cous, also called isralei cous cous is the best to use as they are don’t absorb a lot of the liquid from the stew, instead they help to bulk it out and add a nice texture.  Its available from the pasta aisle of Woolworths and Coles in Australia.  Alternatively you could use, Orzo or Risoni pasta  - which is a short pasta shaped like a grain of rice.  Avoid using the finer smaller cous cous as it will make the stew too stodgy because it soaks up too much water.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Prepare Fish: Cut fish into evenly sized chunks about 2.5cm by 2.5cm or 1 inch square pieces.
2. Make Stew Base: In a medium sized saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion, zucchini, garlic, paprika, fennel, salt, and chilli flakes. Cook for 2 minutes on medium to high heat.

3. Add liquid Ingredients: Add tin tomatoes, fish stock, tomato paste and water, stirring through.  Let it heat through and just before it starts to bubble  add in lemon zest and stir.
4. Add Cous Cous and Peas: Reduce head to medium and add cous cous.  Stir through for 4 to 5 minutes until cous cous is just cooked.

5. Add peas and cook for 1 minute
6. Add fish and cook for a minute or two until fish is cooked through

7. Thicken:  mix cornflour and water in a small cup/jug until smooth and milky.  Stir through the stew gently with a spoon for a minute or two, and it will gradually begin to thicken.
8. Serve: with crusty bread and butter.

Top Tips for Perfect Fish Stew

• Fish Prep: Make sure you have the fish cut into evenly sized pieces before you start the cooking process as this dish comes together very quickly.
• If possible do try and use Fish Stock over chicken or vegetable stock, it really does make a difference. Avoid using Beef stock as this is too overpowering.
• Increase Heat Intensity:  Instead of adding ½ a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes, increase it to 1 teaspoon.  This will make it a good solid medium intensity level of heat.
• Decrease Heat Intensity:  omit the dried chilli flakes.

* Make it Vegetarian:  Instead of the fish, use butter beans or cannelloni beans.  Add them at the end, just like you would the fish.

This really is the perfect weeknight recipe  where you can grab that fish you’ve got in the freezer, some spices, stock and canned tomatoes from the pantry, frozen peas and you can whip up dish that is healthy, packed with flavour and richness and will definitely leave you satisfied!  And it is one the table in under 30 minutes.

Your Questions Answered

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Spanish Fish Stew

Kim

This Spanish Fish Stew is bursting with flavour with garlic, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, fennel seeds and juicy tomatoes. Its a simple one pot meal in under 20 minutes.

4.88 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Servings 4 people

Calories 232 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 300 grams / 10 oz. White Fish - eg: snapper, barramundi, sweetlip, flathead
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ medium Red onion - finely diced
• ½ cup Zucchini - chopped into 1cm cubes
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
• 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
• 2 teaspoons Sweet Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 400 gram / 14 oz. Chopped tinned tomatoes
• 1 cup / 250 ml Fish stock/broth
• 1 cup / 250 ml water
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• ½ cup Frozen peas
• ½ cup Pearl Cous Cous
• Zest of 1 small lemon

To Thicken

• 2 tablespoons cornflour - cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons tap water

Instructions

 

• Cut fish into evenly sized chunks about 2.5cm by 2.5cm or 1 inch square pieces.
• In a medium sized saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion, zucchini, garlic, paprika, fennel, salt, and chilli flakes. Cook for 2 minutes on medium to high heat.
• Add tin tomatoes, fish stock, tomato paste and water, stirring through. Let it heat through and just before it starts to bubble add in lemon zest and stir.
• Reduce head to medium and add cous cous . Stir through for 4 to 5 minutes until cous cous is just cooked.
• Add peas and cook for 1 minute
• Add fish and cook for a minute or two until fish is cooked through
• To Thicken: mix cornflour and water in a small cup/jug until smooth and milky. Stir through the stew gently with a spoon for a minute or two, and it will gradually begin to thicken.
• Serve with crusty bread and butter.

Notes

1. Fish: I’ve used both flathead and snapper for this recipe in the past. Any firm white fish (barramindi, sweetlip, cod, sea bass, halibut would be fine). You could even use salmon. Its important to cut the fish pieces into evenly sized chunks so that they cook evenly (and quickly) in the broth at the end. 2.5cm cubes or 1 inch cubes
2. Fish Stock/broth: If you can’t find fish stock, you can use chicken stock which will also add a nice flavour. Vegetable stock could also be used although it has less flavour. Avoid using all water instead of stock as much of the flavour will be lost.
3. Cous Cous: Pearl cous cous, also called isralei cous cous is the best to use as they are don’t absorb a lot of the liquid from the stew, instead they help to bulk it out and add a nice texture. Its available from the pasta aisle of Woolworths and Coles in Australia. Alternatively you could use, Orzo or Risoni pasta - which is a short pasta shaped like a grain of rice. Avoid using the finer smaller cous cous as it will make the stew too stodgy because it soaks up too much water.
4. Make it Vegetarian: Instead of the fish, use butter beans or cannelloni beans. Add them at the end, just like you would the fish.
5. Increase Heat Intensity: Instead of adding ½ a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes, increase it to 1 teaspoon. This will make it a good solid medium intensity level of heat.
6. Decrease Heat Intensity: omit the dried chilli flakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 30gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gFiber: 4gSugar: 13g

Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.

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