Sicilian fish stew

We watched a travel program about Sicily the other night, and one scene showed a boat of fishermen cooking a simple fish stew for themselves onboard from some of their day’s catch. The image inspired us to make something similar and, in around half an hour, we were enjoying this tasty Sicilian-style fish stew.

For so few ingredients it’s surprisingly flavorful — a testament to Sicilian simplicity. The dish is built around a basic but beautiful stew made with onion, celery, green pepper, wine, stock and tomatoes. The fishermen in the show grated fresh tomatoes straight into the pan (a great technique that separates the tomato pulp from the skin, which we use when we make paella). But, in the absence of good-quality ripe fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes (preferably Italian) are fine.

The addition of other classic Sicilian ingredients — namely extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and rosemary — give the stew a wonderful depth of flavor. And, along with fresh fish, that’s it — rustic peasant food at its best. You could make a fancier version by using more expensive fish like tuna or swordfish, or turn it into a seafood stew by adding some shrimp, scallops, or mussels.

We served it with some crusty bread to mop up the juices, but you could also serve it spooned over rice or couscous.