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Cod Fish Stew

Jan 12, 2020 · 40 Comments

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This post has been sponsored by Sitka Salmon Shares. All opinions expressed are my own.

Today we’re preparing a classic Cod Fish Stew, which is a warming meal for a chilly wintery night, and we’ll be doing so with a little help from our new friends over at Sitka Salmon Shares. (Be sure to scroll below for a special discount exclusive to LTG readers!)

Ingredient Tips and Notes

1) What fish to use for today’s stew? Cod, haddock, pollack, bass, black cod, and grouper would all be great in today’s recipe. Basically, we want a hardy, thicker bodied fish that will hold up through the cooking process of the soup without crumbling away to nothing, however we don’t want an overly oily fish – hence the above selection.

2) Wild vs Farm Fish. Even cursory reading on the subject reveals a strange conundrum – while there is a professional consensus that wild fish is better for you, many consumers note that farmed ‘tastes’ better. The reason behind this is simple – farmed fish has more fat, and a lot of it, sometimes well over twenty-percent (!!!) more fat. Naturally, this leads to farmed tasting better, and also – oddly enough – leads to it cooking up better either in the oven or on the stove, since, as with steaks, it will essentially baste in its own juices. However, farmed fish has a darker side than its taste might infer. Farmed fish is often glutted on PCBs, antibiotics, and has markedly less Omega 3’s than its wild counterpart. As result, while farmed fish generally tastes better – at least according to consumer surveys – wild is much healthier, as well as being environmentally friendlier.

3) Sitka Salmon Shares. Quality fresh fish can be shockingly hard to find in certain areas of country, and that’s sadly becoming increasingly true here on Long Island, as many of the local fisheries here have closed, including a number of the famous fish markets that once dotted the piers of ‘The Big Apple.’ As a result, Sitka Salmon Shares is an absolute godsend. They deliver wild caught fresh fish right to your door at sublimely reasonable prices. Their fish is both sustainably caught and traceable, meaning you can track the catch right back to the individual boat it was caught on – if you’re so inclined. Fisherman owned, in addition to working in partnership with local fishermen, Sitka Salmon Shares offers not only quality fresh fish, but also ethical business and catch practices, meaning this is delicious, wild caught fresh fish that you can feel good about eating. As a nice bonus, their monthly delivery plans make having fresh fish on hand as convenient as it can possibly be. Seriously, this is a great service that’s worth checking out. And now for our readers, we have an exclusive offer to take $25 off any 2020 Premium Sitka Seafood Share when you use discount code: SITKA25 at checkout.

3) Fish Stock – What is it? That answer, honestly, depends on who you ask. Some might call the ‘broth’ from today’s stew a stock, and they wouldn’t technically be wrong – but it wouldn’t be an ideal stock either…or would it? In truth, what we’re referring to as fish ‘stock’ or ‘broth’ is a remnant liquid that contains a ‘fish reduction,’ typically from bones, scales, marrow, and sometimes (though rarely) the ‘meat.’ That said, the best fish stocks are produced simply from the heads, tails, and bones, which are then simmered (not boiled) for around two hours with a variety of vegetables and seasonings – typically root vegetable such as carrots and onions, with seasonings usually comprising things like Old Bay, bay leaves, thyme, anise, and fennel. While I would definitely suggest making your own, store bought will do just fine for today’s recipe.

4) The White Wine. What we want from the wine is a faint ‘acidity’ and just a hint of ‘wine flavor.’ However, you don’t want an overly acidic wine, nor do you want a sweet wine. Instead, opt for a reserved, low acidity, non-fruit forward white wine, with as little sweetness as possible. Something like an Assyrtiko or a dry Chardonnay would do fine.

5) Italian Parsley – A matter of delicacy. Despite the ‘hardy’ texture of today’s stew, the combination of flavors is surprisingly ‘light’ and ‘delicate.’ As such, we’re opting for Italian Parsley as opposed the slightly more ‘pungent’ and ‘herbal’ standard parsley, or the more ‘earthy’ and ‘punchy’ cilantro. This is a subtle swap, to be sure, but subtle improvements add up quickly.

Selecting Quality Fish – A Primer

Selecting quality fish is something few people really know how to do, yet it’s surprisingly easy – easier than selecting steaks, shockingly enough, since there are a variety of ‘telltales’ that signal whether the fish is a quality sample or not, or fresh or not.

Here’s a brief guide:

1) Lead With Your Nose. A fish market, or even the fish counter at your local super market, should ‘not’ smell ‘fishy.’ This indicates that the fish has been lying around decaying (rather than being sold and replaced), or – even worse – that the fish on display or in the back isn’t being stored properly. A pungent brine odor, or a ‘salt water’ smell is perfectly acceptable.

2) Check the Eyes. If the market passes the smell test, the next thing you want to look at are the eyes of the fish. You want the eyes to be bright and distinctive, as opposed to dull or matte. If the fish’s eyes are milky and sunken – leave. This indicates that the fish has been sitting out long enough to begin decaying, and that bacteria has begun to set in. This is ‘not’ something a reputable fish market would allow to happen.

3) Structure and Shine. This applies to fillets and steaks. You want to make sure that the ‘meat’ is bright in color (in the case of white bodied fish, the purer or ‘crisper’ the white, the better). In both cases, you want the fish to have a nice ‘shine’ to it. These qualities indicate that the fish is at peak freshness, and that the fish was a ‘quality’ catch. More important, you want to ensure that the meat is wholly intact, meaning that it’s smooth as opposed to ‘choppy’ or ‘flaky.’ If the meat is choppy or flaky, this could indicate either that the fish has been sitting out too long and has begun to decay, or that the fish was mishandled such that the meat was damaged.

4) Moisture – Good and Bad. If the fish is visibly moist, this could simply indicate that the fish is fresh out of ice, or freshly dethawed – both are fine. However, if the moisture of the fish is ‘cloudy,’ this could indicate either ‘discharges’ from a decaying fish, or that bacteria has begun festering in the meat – or both. Not good.

5) Firmer is Better. Notice how the fish ‘handles’ when your fishmonger picks it up, or – if possible – handle the fish yourself. If the fish is firm, and springs back to shape nicely, this indicates quality and freshness.

6) The Gills. This applies only to whole fish. You want to make sure that the gills are clean, free of dark ‘gunk,’ and that they are a bright red. If any of these qualities are not present, the fish has begun to sour.

7) The Scales. Again, this applies to whole fish. The scales of the fish should be uniform, rather than splotchy, and there should never be any scales missing. The skin should also be shiny and metallic. If the scales are matte in appearance, the fish has begun to decay. If there are scales missing, this means that the fish was damaged during handling.

Some of my favorite soups here on Living the Gourmet

1) Braised Rib Stew. Basically, this is the ‘beef’ counterpart of today’s fish stew, a hardy, warming bowl of warm meaty goodness.

2) Butternut Squash Soup. Butternut squash, carrots, bacon, and garlic, combined in a dense broth create a delicious soup that the whole family will love.

3) Spinach and Meatball Soup. Honestly, there is just an ‘Old World Charm’ to this soup that made me fall in love with it from the first taste. Meatballs, noodles, spinach, an herbed broth, and a chunk of crusty Italian bread, are a delightful combination like few others.

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Cod Fish Stew


  • Author: Living the Gourmet
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
Print Recipe
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 – Sitka Salmon Wild Alaskan Pacific Cod Filet – about 1/2 lb.
  • 4 stalks of celery – sliced thin
  • 1 large bunch of fresh Italian parsley – stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic – chopped fine
  • 1 1/2 sweet onion – sliced thin
  • 2 cups of grape tomatoes – halved
  • 4 cups of fish broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 red potato – sliced thin – with skin
  • 1 tbs. capers
  • 1/4 cup of white wine
  • 2 – 3 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 tbs. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb. of fettuccine – or your favorite pasta
  • lemon wedge for garnish and a drizzle in finish stew – optional

Instructions

  1. Heat a sauce pot over medium heat with the olive oil.
  2. Add the onion, celery and garlic and saute until the onion is transparent and the garlic fragrant.
  3. Add the broth, parsley (reserving some for garnish), potatoes and tomatoes, seasonings, wine and simmer on a gentle heat, covered partially, until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Cook the pasta as directed.
  5. Add the fish to the soup and gently simmer until the until the fish is opaque in the center, this should take only about 5 minutes or so.
  6. Plate the pasta a soup bowl and top and spoon the fish stew into the bowl.
  7. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1

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Seafood, Soups/Stews/Legumes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. angiesrecipes says

    13/01/2020 at 9:05 am

    It must have tasted amazingly flavourful and tasty!

    Reply
  2. Scarlet says

    13/01/2020 at 10:19 pm

    This cod fish stew sounds fantastic. I can’t wait to try it. I have already tried Sitka Salmon shares and they have the best quality seafood so thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Sharon says

    14/01/2020 at 1:09 am

    A big bowl of cod fish stew is just what the colder weather was calling for.

    Reply
  4. Vicky says

    14/01/2020 at 2:07 am

    Such a great choice for some winter comfort food. Wonderful way to add fish to the menu plan.

    Reply
  5. Veena Azmanov says

    14/01/2020 at 2:20 am

    So many flavors and amazing combinations. This dish is surely tasty and perfect for the weather.

    Reply
  6. [email protected] is How I Cook says

    14/01/2020 at 2:37 am

    Love the idea of fish shares. They seem to be doing it with every other ingredient, so why not? And this stew? Perfect for a chilly day!

    Reply
  7. Kelley says

    14/01/2020 at 2:55 am

    I can almost taste this delicious stew! It looks amazing!

    Reply
  8. Emily Liao says

    14/01/2020 at 3:00 am

    This fish stew is perfect for the cold days! It’s hearty and a great way to use up my leftover fish.

    Reply
  9. Laura | Wandercooks says

    14/01/2020 at 3:40 am

    This really warms the soul, so flavorful. Amazing dish 🙂

    Reply
  10. Cristina Petrini says

    14/01/2020 at 8:26 am

    I really like cooking fish because I love to eat, but I admit that I don’t have many recipes in my repertoire, luckily I found your blog!

    Reply
  11. Michelle Cantu says

    14/01/2020 at 3:25 pm

    I haven’t had a cod stew in forever. My grandmother made it and it took me until I was an adult to appreciate it. Definitely need to try this, I sure do miss those days.

    Reply
  12. Heather says

    14/01/2020 at 3:54 pm

    I’ve never had cod stew before. It sounds so yummy! I can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  13. Windy says

    14/01/2020 at 5:09 pm

    This looks so freaking delicious.

    Reply
  14. Ashley R says

    14/01/2020 at 7:18 pm

    My goal this year is to eat more fish and less red meat so this post is for me!

    Reply
  15. ESHR PRKR says

    14/01/2020 at 8:14 pm

    I was pleasantly surprised with this post. For a second I thought it was a west Indian ‘ting lol We have a lot of fish soup (boil up we call it) recipes out here. This look absolutely delicious. I’ll be sure to remember to come back and let you know how things turned out for me. We also love codfish too! Mutten snapper is also a nice meaty fish for boil ups. Not sure if I got that name right though 😛

    Reply
  16. Yeah Lifestyle says

    14/01/2020 at 9:46 pm

    I love Fish Stew as there is just something so warming about having it in winter time. This recipe using the Cod fish looks so tasty and I would love to try making it

    Reply
  17. Louise says

    15/01/2020 at 12:15 am

    Ooh, I absolutely love cod! I bet this dish is absolutely delicious :p

    Louise x

    Reply
  18. Agnes says

    15/01/2020 at 1:50 am

    I am thawing the fish for dinner, though it’s not Cod fish I maybe whip this recipe up. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  19. Tanya says

    15/01/2020 at 2:07 pm

    My husband and I were just saying that we need to eat more fish. I love the thought of a fish stew, and we live on the coast so fresh fish is always available. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  20. Eileen M Loya says

    15/01/2020 at 4:22 pm

    I am adding this to our meal plan for next week. The fish stew looks so good. Fresh fish and all other healthy ingredients all in one hearty dish!

    Reply
  21. monica y says

    15/01/2020 at 8:31 pm

    This recipe looks so good, I need to make it soon for my family, yummy, we love fish

    Reply
  22. Anna says

    17/01/2020 at 8:50 am

    It looks like one of the most satisfying dishes that you can have on repeat! Wonderful ingredients and flavours!

    Reply
  23. Marisa F. Stewart says

    17/01/2020 at 7:16 pm

    My mouth is watering just looking at the stew. I love the combination of ingredients and that cod looks like it would be firm and flavorful. Some of the cod we get in the store has a heavy fish aroma. That fish looks as if it came right from the sea. So yummy!!

    Reply
  24. Jacqui Debono says

    17/01/2020 at 7:27 pm

    I love cod in curry and stew. We don’t have it very often, but this reminded me that I must make it soon! You are so right about finding fresh fish, it is key!

    Reply
  25. GUNJAN C Dudani says

    18/01/2020 at 5:39 pm

    This sounds like an interesting recipe. I have not yet tired anything like this. Definitely making this soon.

    Reply
  26. kita says

    19/01/2020 at 5:34 am

    Oh I have been itching to try Sitka’s fish. I have such a love for fish! And your soup – like all of your dishes – looks so comforting!

    Reply
  27. Tara says

    19/01/2020 at 4:16 pm

    Cod stew is something I have been wanting to try. Adding more seafood in my diet, but is tasty ways. Sometimes what you need is something like this that is just what you need for winter.

    Reply
  28. Debbie says

    20/01/2020 at 2:19 am

    I love Cod but I have never made a Cod Stew . All of the flavors and in this stew sound amazing together. I could think of nothing more comforting than a big bowl of this stew on a cold day. I can’t wait.

    Reply
  29. Jess says

    20/01/2020 at 1:33 pm

    Yum! Sounds like a great way to eat cod! I’ve never had cod stew but this looks and sounds delicious! I need to give it a try!

    Reply
  30. Elaine says

    24/02/2020 at 10:17 pm

    The amount of colors in one bowl is magnificent – makes you want to start enjoying the stew as soon as possible. Great recipe to make, especially this time of the year!

    Reply
  31. Anna says

    26/02/2020 at 5:13 pm

    Nicely done! This stew looks like such a comforting and satisfying meal! Perfect to warm up with a bowl of this deliciousness on a cold day like today!

    Reply
  32. Veronika says

    28/02/2020 at 7:40 pm

    This recipe looks so delicious and comforting! I want to eat it right now! Need to buy the fish tomorrow and try this recipe!

    Reply
  33. Denise says

    29/02/2020 at 1:41 pm

    Now that looks like an incredible fish stew! Filling and flavorful, the perfect meal! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  34. Paula Montenegro says

    29/02/2020 at 7:18 pm

    Wow, it looks super flavorful and fresh! I love all the info about selecting fish. A great post.

    Reply
  35. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says

    01/03/2020 at 5:56 pm

    I was just looking for something different to make with my cod and VOILA! This looks perfect and honestly, I cannot wait to try it! This, with a side of crusty bread to dip in and I’m pretty sure I’ll be in heaven!

    Reply
  36. Kathryn says

    01/03/2020 at 10:33 pm

    So many great ingredients in this recipe. I bet it’s got amazing flavor!

    Reply
  37. Shannon says

    01/03/2020 at 11:40 pm

    Your tips on picking out fresh fish are super helpful. Thank you for explaining what to look for. And this soup is so tasty! Thanks for sharing an awesome recipe that my whole family enjoyed.

    Reply
  38. Jo says

    02/03/2020 at 10:38 am

    Fish stew is one of the best ways to eat fish, it’s so full of flavors and packed with nutrients. That fish stew looks hearty and satisfying.

    Reply
  39. Mary Bostow says

    02/03/2020 at 6:50 pm

    Wonderful informative post and the recipe looks amazing!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Spicy Pan Seared Shrimp - Living The Gourmet says:
    05/02/2020 at 12:48 am

    […] I said in my previous Cod Fish Stew post, selecting quality seafood is less of an artform than selecting quality meat, since there’s both […]

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