Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

Name: Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6-8
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 2 lb. boneless, skinless catfish filets, cut into 2″ pieces; 8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 ⁄ 4 cup fresh lime juice; 8 cloves garlic, minced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 3 tbsp. olive oil; 1 1 ⁄ 2 small yellow onions (1 minced, 1/2 thinly sliced); 1 Italian frying pepper, stemmed, seeded (half minced, half thinly sliced); 2 plum tomatoes, cored (1 minced, 1 thinly sliced); 1 cup fish or vegetable stock; 1 cup coconut milk; 2 tbsp. palm oil (available at My Natural Market ); 1 ⁄ 4 cup minced cilantro; 1 ⁄ 2 cup minced Thai basil leaves; Cooked white rice, to serve

Serves
serves 6-8

JAMES OSELAND

This hearty stew can be made with any firm-fleshed white fish, such as catfish or halibut. This recipe first appeared in our June/July 2012 issue along with Neide Rigo's story Passage to the Amazon.

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ lb. boneless, skinless catfish filets, cut into 2″ pieces
8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¹⁄₄ cup fresh lime juice
8 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 ¹⁄₂ small yellow onions (1 minced, 1/2 thinly sliced)
1 Italian frying pepper, stemmed, seeded (half minced, half thinly sliced)
2 plum tomatoes, cored (1 minced, 1 thinly sliced)
1 cup fish or vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. palm oil (available at My Natural Market)
¹⁄₄ cup minced cilantro
¹⁄₂ cup minced Thai basil leaves
Cooked white rice, to serve

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Instructions

Step 1

Toss fish, shrimp, juice, half the garlic, and salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside. Heat olive oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic, minced onion, and minced pepper; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add minced tomatoes; cook until broken down, about 5 minutes. Add stock, coconut milk, and palm oil; boil. Drain fish and shrimp and add to pot; cook until just cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add sliced onion, pepper, and tomato; cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and basil; season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.

Toss fish, shrimp, juice, half the garlic, and salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside. Heat olive oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic, minced onion, and minced pepper; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add minced tomatoes; cook until broken down, about 5 minutes. Add stock, coconut milk, and palm oil; boil. Drain fish and shrimp and add to pot; cook until just cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add sliced onion, pepper, and tomato; cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and basil; season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.