Fish Stew with Fennel, Potatoes, and Olives

If I am honest, the name of this dish alone conjures up images of some stinky, inedible mess that might have been served to the inmates at Shawshank Prison. Stick with me to the end of this post and you will hopefully discover that your family will not shank the cook that puts this on the table.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 565 calorie ~ 20 Weight Watcher points per serving. Plan on around a half hour for prep/cooking time).

• 2 Cod Fillets (or some other white fish)
• 1 Small Baguette
• 15 Ounce can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 3 Ounces of Fingerling Potatoes
• 1 Bunch of Kale
• 1 Fennel Bulb with Fronds
• 1 Red Onion
• 4 or 5 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Tangerine
• Half Ounce of Castelvetrano Olives
• 2 Teaspoons of Spice Blend Consisting of: Herbs de Provence (satureja, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano), Dried Orange Peel, Ground Turmeric, Ground Bay Leaf, Cayenne Pepper
• Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper

1. PREP WORK: Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees, removing the fish from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature, and slicing the baguette in half lengthwise. Next, cut the potatoes into thin rounds. Peel the garlic and thinly slice the onion and just two of the cloves (you will need to leave the remaining clove whole). Prep the kale for removing the stems and roughly chopping the leaves. Pick off a few of the fennel fronds (thready part at the top of the bulb) and place into a bowl. Remove the core of the fennel bulb and thinly slice the bulb and stems. Cut the tangerine in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. Carefully smash the olives with the flat side of your knife and discard the pits, roughly chopping the olive meat.

2. COOK THE POTATOES and AROMATICS: In a saute pan, heat two tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add the potatoes, sliced garlic, onion, fennel (stems & bulb), and the blended spices. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) and cook, stirring occasionally, 6-7 minutes or until softened. 

3. START THE STEW: Add the crushed tomatoes, kale, tangerine juice, olives, and three cups of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes or until slightly reduced in volume.

4. COOK THE FISH: Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Use a spoon to create two 'wells' in the stew, placing the seasoned fish into each. Cook 5-7 minutes, of until the fish is cooked through (opaque). Turn off the heat and use two forks to break the fish into bite sized pieces.

5. MAKE THE GARLIC TOAST: While the fish is cooking, place the sliced baguette halves on a sheet pan, cut sides up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toast in the oven 5-7 minutes or until golden brown/warmed through. Remove from the oven and rub the cut sides with the whole garlic clove. I get that rubbing the clove on the bread sounds pretty crazy (if you know me, then maybe it is not so nutty) but, it worked surprisingly well.  

For plating, I cubed the bread and divided between the two bowls, then poured ladles of the stew over the top. Finish by garnishing with the reserved fennel fronds. 

The flavors all marry pretty decently and the dish is damn near lick the bottom of the bowl good. Next time, I might throw in some sauteed shrimp or substitute yellow onions for the red. If you are the kind that wants a bit more heat, adding a pinch of red pepper flakes while you are simmering the stew would likely do that. This goes into the rotation for cold, night winter dishes that can fill the stomach and warm the soul.

Eat well my friends...