Black Cod in Tomato Saffron Broth

The photograph of this dish in Martha Stewart a few months back was absolutely gorgeous, and I couldn't wait to make it, but for whatever reason, I kept putting it off, pulling out the issue every once in awhile, then tucking it back away, saving it for some future date in which a fish stew would be the perfect thing to make. That day came on Saturday, and like usual, once I looked at the recipe and read through the steps, I realized how simple and quick this dish would be, despite how impressive it looks when plated up.



A simple broth made with tomatoes, garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes provides the "bath" for chunks of white firm-fleshed fish, which cooks just until opaque, and is finished with currants, sliced green onions, and almonds. The recipe was almost too basic, and since I had some time on my hands Saturday before our dinner guests arrived, I embellished it, adding a few ingredients, and enriching the dish with extra flavor where I could.

We served the stew with fresh baguette for dipping in the beautiful broth, and a green salad on the side. It was so easy, and so delicious, that we will be making this again and again, although I'm sure it will be slightly different each time, as it is really more of an outline for making a quick fish stew.

Cod in Tomato Saffron Broth
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

3 Tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 large pinches saffron
1 tsp dried oregano
28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
½ cup white wine
¼ cup dried currants
2-3 cups chicken broth
1 ½ lbs Cod, Grouper or other firm, mild white fish, Cut into 1-2 inch chunks, seasoned with salt and pepper
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Heat the oil in a heavy medium pot over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until golden and slightly browned. Add the garlic and spices, along with salt and pepper, and saute until fragrant, a few minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and let it cook off. Add the tomatoes and crush with a wooden spoon. Saute for a few minutes to meld the flavors.

Add the currants, then the chicken stock, about a half cup at a time, reducing it down, then adding more once the broth has thickened. Repeat this several times, and finish with a little more broth, to reach the desired "thickness" of the broth. This is optional, but if you have the time it makes for a more flavorful broth. If you do not plan on working this step in, then only add about a cup of broth, and reduce only slightly.

When you are ready to serve, add the fish, and simmer gently until opaque throughout.

To serve, ladle the stew into shallow bowls, and garnish with green onion and sliced almonds. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

This was great, and so easy. This is a good basic recipe to work from for a fish stew - lots of possible variations. I also added halved cherry tomatoes and cooked those down in the broth.

The MSC

Last weekend, as I was walking into Whole Foods, I noticed a large white and blue sign hanging above the door, announcing the arrival of Marine Stewardship Council Halibut. Sounds good, I thought. After placing the carefully-wrapped package in my cart, I felt certain that dinner was going to be delicious, and I was pretty sure I had just done something good for our planet, but if you had asked me why it was good, I would have shrugged.

I decided to check out the Marine Stewardship Council website, and find out exactly why it's important to buy sustainably harvested fish. The organization started out under Unilever - producer of such ubiquitous brands as Dove, Bertolli, Hellman's, and Slim-Fast. Apparently, they are also the largest buyer of seafood in the world. I was happy to find out that the MSC is now independent, and is working to certify fisheries of all sizes around the world, in order to ensure the future health of our oceans, and the livelihoods of the people who fish for a living. MSC is the only internationally recognized set of environmental standards for measuring the sustainability of fisheries. Their standards were carefully developed over a over a two year period; they consulted scientists, fisherie experts, environmental organizations, and others who have a stake in the future of the industry (well, we all do, don't we?). With as much as 76% of the world's fish stocks being fully exploited (maximum biological capacity), it's clear that it's important to buy these products when they are available to us.

I suspected that products carrying the MSC logo would be hard to find, or prohibitively expensive for the average shopper, but a list of stores carrying MSC-labeled fish and fish products revealed a surprising number of sources. Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Wegman's are all carrying these products, but also on the list are Walmart, and Safeway stores, among others. This is a great direction for these large corporations to take, because if sustainable products are readily available, and affordable, it seems to me like the average consumer would glady make the purchase. The challenge then lies in the hands of marketers and these organizations to educate the public.

Now, back to the halibut fillet sitting in my shopping cart. I had ripped out a recipe from this month's Bon Appetit , for Chipotle-Glazed Halibut, with Avocado-Tomatillo Sauce. I happen to adore tomatillos, and the recipe had very few ingredients, so it went to the front of my recipe basket. It was a cinch to put together - I made a quick glaze with chipotle chiles, honey, orange juice and spices, then made the Tomatillo Sauce in the blender using just tomatillos (I used canned), an avocado, and orange juice...and that was it! The recipe called for grilling the fish, but I just popped it in the oven at 400 degrees. I roasted some potatoes to go along with the fish, and garnished it with cilantro, and it plated up beautifully too, as you can see. Mostly importantly though, it was delicious. Extra points for sustainability as well.

Notes
The original recipe made 6 servings; I halved it with no problems. I also added some additional spices and some brown sugar to the glaze, because the honey that I had in the pantry was more savory than sweet. I used canned tomatillos because the store didn't have fresh, and I don't think it made much of a difference, but now I have to find a use for the rest of can...

The recipe is not yet posted on Epicurious , but they update it pretty regularly, so if you're not a subscriber, just check back in a few weeks.

The information about MSC in this entry was all gathered from their site, listed above.