Seafood Stew · Tomato and Fennel
Tomato and Fennel Seafood Stew
Mussels, shrimp and chunks of white fish cooked in stages in a tomato, fennel and white wine broth so everything finishes tender at once. Serve with crusty bread.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Swaps for olive oil
Instead of olive oil
- Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
- Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
- A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.
- 1 medium onion, chopped
Swaps for onion
Instead of onion
- Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
- Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
- Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
Swaps for garlic
Instead of garlic
- Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
- Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Swaps for red pepper flakes
Instead of red pepper flakes
- Cayenne: About half as much. Even heat throughout, no flakes.
- Hot sauce or chili crisp: To taste. Hot sauce adds vinegar; chili crisp adds crunch and oil.
- A fresh hot chile: Half a jalapeño or serrano for each ½ tsp. Fresh, green heat.
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Swaps for dried oregano
Instead of oregano
- Fresh oregano: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more peppery; use a little less than you think.
- Dried marjoram, Italian seasoning or dried basil: The same amount. Marjoram is milder, basil sweeter; Italian seasoning already has oregano in it.
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Swaps for tomato paste
Instead of tomato paste
- Tomato sauce or passata: 3 tbsp for each 1 tbsp paste. Lighter, fresher tomato flavor.
- Ketchup: The same amount. Sweeter and vinegary; fine for a tablespoon or two.
- 1 cup dry white wine
Swaps for dry white wine
Instead of white wine
- Broth + vinegar or lemon juice: The same amount of chicken or vegetable broth, plus 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice per cup. Savory and bright; a little less fruity.
- Dry vermouth: The same amount. Herbal and a bit stronger.
- White grape juice + vinegar: Half white grape juice and half broth, plus a splash of vinegar. Sweeter; fine in small amounts.
Cooking doesn't burn off all the alcohol: a dish simmered 15 minutes can keep close to half of it, and even after 2 hours some is left. Use an alcohol-free swap for anyone who avoids alcohol.
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
Swaps for crushed tomatoes
Instead of canned tomatoes
- Whole peeled tomatoes, crushed: The same amount. The same flavor; a slightly chunkier sauce.
- Tomato paste + water: ¼ cup tomato paste whisked with ¾ cup water for each cup. Smooth and a little more concentrated.
- 16 fl oz clam juice, bottled
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
- 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 lb white fish fillets, firm, such as cod or halibut, in 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ tsp kosher salt, for the fish and shrimp
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped ≈ 15 g
Swaps for fresh parsley
Instead of parsley
- Dried parsley: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Very mild; it adds color more than flavor.
- Cilantro: The same amount. Stronger and citrusy; suits Mexican and Asian dishes.
- Celery leaves or chervil: The same amount. Celery leaves are peppery and grassy; chervil is mild with a hint of anise.
- crusty bread, for serving
Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.
Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.
Cook to 145°F inside (check with a thermometer).
Steps
- Tap any open mussels on the counter. Throw away any that don't close within a minute, and any with cracked shells.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook until soft.⏱ Soften vegetables: 8 min
- Add the garlic, pepper flakes, oregano and tomato paste and stir until fragrant.⏱ Garlic: 1 min
- Pour in the wine and⏱ Reduce wine: 3 minuntil
simmer (how to simmer)
Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoidby about half.reduced (how to reduce)
Reduce Simmer a liquid uncovered so water steams off and the flavor and body get stronger. 1. Use a wide pan; more surface means faster reducing.2. Bring the liquid to a lively simmer, uncovered.3. Stir now and then and scrape the sides back in.4. Look at the level against the pan, or dip a spoon to check thickness.5. Salt at the end, since salt gets stronger as it reduces. Done when: The level has dropped by the amount the recipe says, and it is glossy and coats a spoon. How to reduce a sauce: mistakes to avoid - Add the crushed tomatoes, clam juice, water, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a.
boil (how to boil)
Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid - Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered.⏱ Simmer broth: 20 min
- the fish and shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Season (how to season to taste)
Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid - Add the mussels, cover and simmer until they begin to open.⏱ Mussels: 3 min
- Nestle the fish chunks into the broth, cover and simmer.⏱ Fish: 3 min
- Add the shrimp, cover and simmer until the shrimp are pink, the fish is opaque and flakes at 145°F (63°C), and the mussels are open.145°F⏱ Shrimp: 3 min
- Throw away any mussels that didn't open, and remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in the parsley gently and serve in wide bowls with crusty bread.
Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.
Tips
- Stir gently once the fish goes in so the chunks stay whole.
- Make the broth up to 2 days ahead, then bring it back to a simmer and add the seafood just before serving.
- Littleneck clams can replace the mussels. Give them a 4-minute head start, since they take longer to open.
Storage
Best fresh. Refrigerate leftovers, mussels removed from the shells, up to 1 day.
How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: fennel (October to April).
Quick answers
- Can I make it ahead?
Make the broth up to 2 days ahead, then bring it back to a simmer and add the seafood just before serving.
Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 1,300 kJ
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrates
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugars
- 9 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.5 g
- Sodium
- 1,020 mg
Whole recipe, 6 servings: about 1,890 calories.
Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 18 of 18 ingredients.
How we estimate
We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 6 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.
Not counted: crusty bread (to taste or as needed).
Goes well with
Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.
- Side Overnight Cherry Tomato and Olive Focaccia 16 hr 55 min Uses the oven while the seafood stew is on the stove. Make it ahead: it keeps. Bread for dunking.
- Side Easy Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons 32 min Uses the oven while the seafood stew is on the stove. Ready in 32 min, inside the main's 1 hr 10 min. A crisp salad next to a bowl of seafood stew.
- Dessert Fudgy One-Bowl Cocoa Brownies 2 hr 45 min Something rich after a light main. Make it ahead, so it's ready when dinner is.
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Cleanup score 4/5 (easy cleanup): 2 things to wash, Dutch oven, mixing bowl. More one-pot recipes.
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