Brazilian Fish Stew

Prep time: 25 minutes
Inactive Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredient

  • 2 1/2 pounds red grouper (or substitute redfish, flounder, striped bass, escolar, or any other white-fleshed fish), skin on, scaled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
  • 2 to 3 fresh cayenne chiles, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup Emeril’s Quick Shrimp Stock, recipe follows (or chicken stock, canned low-sodium chicken broth, or water)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • Emeril’s Quick Shrimp Stock: see recipe below
  • Cilantro-Lime Rice: see recipe below

Directions

  1. Place the fish in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, add the lime juice, and set aside to marinate while you proceed with the recipe.
  2. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Once it is hot, add the onions and cayenne peppers and saute, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and stir well to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil. Season
  3. the fish with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Then add the fish (with the lime juice) and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the flesh of the fish starts to flake, about 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the cover, sprinkle the cilantro over the fish, and serve accompanied by steamed white rice.