Halibut and Fennel Stew
Firm-textured white fish is poached in the complex flavors of fennel, saffron, garlic, and tomatoes to create a beautiful, savory stew.
Firm-textured white fish is poached in the complex flavors of fennel, saffron, garlic, and tomatoes to create a beautiful, savory stew.
- 6 cups water
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 bunch celery
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled crushed
- 1 bunch italian parsley
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 leek whites only, chopped
- 1 14oz can tomoto sauce
- 4 small bulbs fresh fennel trimmed, halved, sliced
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads
- 2 lb halibut cut into 8 pieces
- sour cream topping
- 1 orange grated zest
- 3 tbsp fennel fronds minced
- Carbohydrate 14.3597521875 g
- Cholesterol 72.905 mg
- Fat 16.1508671875 g
- Fiber 2.72951561592519 g
- Protein 49.0118415625 g
- Saturated Fat 2.4888204375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (514g)
- Sodium 2947.186875 mg
- Sugar 11.6302365715748 g
- Trans Fat 1.513723 g
- Calories 403 calories
Step-by-step
- Create a bouquet garni by bunching fresh thyme, Italian parsely, bay leaves and celery, and tie with household string.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, saute the garlic, fennel seeds, bouquet gani, salt and leeks in olive oil over medium heat until the leeks soften. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, liqueur, water, fennel and cayenne pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Remove the bouquet garni, and stir in thesaffron. Place the pieces of fish on top of the stew and cover the pot to poach the fish for five minutes or until cooked through. Remove the fish from the pot and carefully remove any skin.
- To serve, spoon the stew into individual bowls, place a piece of fish on top and garnish with a dollor of sour cream, orange zest, orange zest and fennel fronds.
Firm white fish requires careful accompaniment consideration because its delicate flakes easily disappear beneath overly aggressive starches. Crusty sourdough bread provides the necessary structural contrast, absorbing the saffron-infused tomato broth without disintegrating into mush. Toast slices of bread under a 400-degree Fahrenheit broiler for three minutes per side to achieve a surface texture that withstands liquid absorption.
Starchy side dishes often compete with the natural sweetness of bulbs like fennel and leeks. Steamed fingerling potatoes tossed in olive oil offer a neutral base that grounds the aromatic broth without adding redundant sweetness. Alternatively, plain white rice absorbs excess sodium from stocks while maintaining a clean palate between bites of spiced fish.
Utilizing fresh aromatics versus preserved or dried alternatives changes moisture release and flavor concentration during the simmering phase. Fresh fennel bulbs release significant internal water content as cell walls break down over 45 minutes of simmering, whereas dried fennel seeds contribute concentrated essential oils instantly without altering the liquid volume of the pot. When substituting dried orange peel for fresh orange zest, reduce the total quantity by half to prevent bitter concentration compounds from dominating the sour cream topping.
