Moqueca Recipe : Brazilian Fish Stew

Brazilian make moqueca (noticable "mo-KEH-kah"), a stew made with fish, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, and in the northern state of Bahia, coconut milk.

My first encounter with moqueca was a salmon variation of the stew prepared by Brazilian blog writer Fernanda of Chucrute com Salsicha. So good!

We enjoy making fish stew, but had never believed to use a base of coconut milk. Ever since, every Brazilian I've fulfilled, when the discussion turns to food (as it invariably does), their eyes brighten at the mention of moqueca.

Moqueca, Brazilian Fish Stew Recipe

Conventional moqueca utilizes palm oil. If you can find it (I checked three stores here and was unable to locate any) add simply a tablespoon to the stew along with the coconut milk.

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of fillets of company white fish such as halibut, swordfish, or cod, washed in cold water, pin bones got rid of, cut into big parts
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 cup chopped spring onion, or 1 medium yellow onion, chopped or sliced
• 1/4 cup green onion greens, sliced
• 1/2 yellow and 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, de-stemmed, chopped (or sliced).
• 2 cups sliced (or sliced) tomatoes.
• 1 Tbsp paprika (Hungarian sweet).
• Pinch red pepper flakes.
• 1 large lot of cilantro, chopped with some reserve for garnish.
• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk.

Rice

• 1 Tbsp olive oil.
• 1/2 onion, sliced.
• 1 clove garlic, minced.
• 1 cup white rice.
• 1 3/4 cups boiling water (check your rice package for the necessary ratio of liquid to rice for the type of rice you are using).
• 1 teaspoon salt.

Method

Coat fish with garlic and lime juice: Place fish pieces in a bowl, include the minced garlic and lime juice so that the pieces are well coated. Sprinkle kindly all over with salt and pepper.
Keep cooled while preparing the remainder of the soup.

Make rice for serving with soup: If you are intending on serving the soup with rice, start on the rice.
Bring a couple cups of water to a boil. Heat one Tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Include the chopped 1/2 onion and cook, stirring, till the onion is clear. Include the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, up until the garlic is aromatic. Add the raw white rice and stir to coat entirely with the oil, onions, and garlic.

Add the boiling water. (The quantity depends upon your brand name of rice, inspect the plan. If no amounts are given, include 1 3/4 cup of water for every cup of rice.) Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes, after which, remove from heat up until all set to serve with the soup.

Start cooking the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion greens: In a large covered pan (such as a Dutch oven), coat the bottom with about 2 Tbsp of olive oil and heat on medium heat.

Include the chopped onion and prepare a couple of minutes until softened. Include the bell pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle kindly with salt and pepper. (At least a teaspoon of salt.) Cook for a few minutes longer, until the bell pepper starts to soften.

Stir in the sliced tomatoes and onion greens. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, uncovered. Stir in the sliced cilantro.

Layer vegetables with fish, include coconut milk: Use a big spoon to eliminate about half of the veggies (you'll put them right back in). Spread the continuing to be veggies over the bottom of the pan to produce a bed for the fish.

Arrange the fish pieces on the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then include back the previously eliminated vegetables, covering the fish.
Pour coconut milk over the fish and veggies.

Simmer, cook, change spices: Bring soup to a simmer, minimize the heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust spices.

You may need to include more salt (most likely), lime or lemon juice, paprika, pepper, or chili flakes to obtain the soup to the desired spices for your taste.

Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice or with crusty bread.


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