Cioppino     Fiona Lewis Fishmonger / Chef The District Fishwife

Serves 4 (Halve for 2)

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 med-large onions, chopped fine

2 medium fennel bulbs sliced thinly (keep fronds to garnish with)

Salt and pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, add more for spicy)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

16 oz fish stock (can sub clam juice if necessary)

1 ½ -pound firm skinned white fish fillet (Halibut, Cod, Chilean Sea Bass) 3/4 to 1 inch thick, cut into 1 inch chunks

½ lb squid, tubes and tentacles cut into ½ inch rings

16 littleneck clams

2 lbs -pound mussels

1 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Extra-virgin olive oil

 

1. Heat vegetable oil in Dutch oven, or medium heavy-duty pot, over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add ½ the fish stock and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in fennel, garlic, half of the fresh oregano (all the dried oregano, if using dried), and pepper flakes and cook for 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and other ½ fish stock and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.

 

2. While broth reducing in a large bowl fill with cold tap water, add enough kosher or sea salt that when dissolved it tastes like the ocean. Add mussels and clams, let sit for 20 mins, discard any clams or mussels that open. Check tomato sauce and taste then reduce more if necessary, to get desired thickness.

 

3. Submerge fish and squid in tomato broth, cover, remove from heat, gently stir, place lid on top and set aside (fish and squid will gently cook through off heat)

 

4. Drain Mussels and Clams then bring clams, wine, and butter to boil in covered 12-inch skillet over high heat. Steam until clams just open, 4 to 6 minutes, carefully transferring them to serving bowls, portioning accordingly.

 

5. Once all clams have been transferred to serving bowls, add mussels to skillet, cover, and cook over high heat until mussels have opened, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size of mussels, transferring them to serving bowls. Pour cooking liquid from skillet into pot slowly, leaving the last couple of tablespoons in the skillet to not pour any grit from mussels and clams in the skillet into pot (see image) bring to a gentle simmer.

 

6. Gently stir parsley and remaining oregano (if using fresh) into tomato broth w/ seafood, taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash (think ¼ to ½ teaspoon) of plain white vinegar to add brightness and balance. Ladle broth over mussels and clams careful to distribute fish. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately, preferably with a crusty baguette, or garlic toast.

 

 

 

 

Salt Baked Fish Fiona Lewis Fishmonger / Chef The District Fishwife

Serves 2

1 x whole 1-1.25 lb Branzio, Dorade, Snapper or Black Sea Bass, with scales on, gutted and gilled.

3 cups kosher salt

4 large rosemary sprigs (2 kept whole, 2 remove rosemary from stalks)

2 sage sprigs (1 kept whole. 1 remove sage from stalk)

1 lemon sliced

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the kosher salt, rosemary and sage leaves with ½ - ¾ cup of water until it resembles moist sand.

 

2. Spread half of the salt mixture in the center of the baking sheet and place the lemon slices in the middle. Lay the fish on the lemon, fill the cavity with remaining stalks of rosemary and sage, then cover with the remaining salt mixture, lightly packing it to completely cover the fish.

 

3. Bake the fish for 25-30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the ‘shoulder’ region of the fish registers 130°. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Slide fish (and foil or parchment paper) onto serving platter.

 

4. Crack the top salt crust and discard it. Remove and discard the skin from the top of the fish and dig in and enjoy, after eating the top half, discard bones and eat remining side, careful not to eat skin.