The recipe for this classic East Coast seafood dish is an adaptation of one in Brooke Dojny’s The New England Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, 1999).
SERVES 6
Ingredients
1 (16-oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained, crushed by hand
2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2″ chunks
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves, broken in half
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
18 mussels, rinsed and debearded
2 lb. boneless, skinless haddock or cod filets, cut into 1 1⁄2″ chunks
3 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 12–15 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, chile flakes, garlic, onions, bay leaves, and peppers and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add fish stock, wine, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add mussels and cover pot; cook until mussels just begin to open, 4–5 minutes. Add fish and continue to cook, covered, until all mussels are opened and fish is cooked through, 5–6 minutes more.
To serve, transfer fish stew to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with half the parsley and cilantro. Place the potatoes in another serving dish, sprinkle with remaining cilantro and parsley, and serve alongside stew.
