Featured Recipe
Quick Spiced Fish Stew
By Kate
"
A fish and shellfish stew with creamy saffron aioli, quick to prepare. Uses tilapia, shrimp, and scallops simmered with leeks, potatoes, and Pernod-flavored broth. Served with toasted baguette slices and lemon wedges. Rouille made with garlic, egg yolks, lemon, and saffron oil. Slightly altered quantities and added smoked paprika for warmth. Steps reorganized to speed up cooking with short simmering and resting times. A simple, hearty main course free of nuts and dairy.
"
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
45 min
Serves:
4 servings
seafood
French cuisine
dinner
stew
Introduction
Fish and shellfish, quick, but bold. Leeks and potatoes simmered with Pernod-flavored broth. Saffron and smoked paprika twist the usual. Rouille aioli makes it rich—garlic, lemon, egg yolks, thick olive oil emulsion. Toasted baguette slices for crunch, lemon wedges for tartness. No dairy, no nuts—a light meal that feels lush. Speeds through prep and cooking, just under 45 minutes. Layers of flavor, simple technique. Steaming seafood finishes quietly off heat. A stew, but different. Rustic but refined. Herbs and spices played differently. No waiting long for potatoes to mush. Sharp acidity. Creamy heat. Handles four hungry mouths easily. A weekday meal with a French flare. No fuss but not bland.
Ingredients
ROUILLE
- 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) lemon juice
- a pinch saffron threads
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 ml (1/3 tsp) salt
- a pinch smoked paprika
- 140 ml (just over 1/2 cup) olive oil
- 1 small leek, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 35 ml (2 1/3 tbsp) olive oil
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) Pernod
- 475 ml (2 cups) fish stock
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) diced peeled potatoes
- 450 g (1 lb) tilapia filets, cut into chunks
- 130 g (1/4 lb) raw shrimp, peeled
- 110 g (3.8 oz) small scallops
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 8 slices baguette, toasted
- lemon wedges
STEW
SIDES
About the ingredients
Adjusted some quantities up or down by about 30 percent for a balanced portion size and texture. Substituted smoked paprika instead of cayenne to add a milder smoky warmth rather than sharp heat. Reduced the Pernod amount slightly to avoid overpowering liquor notes in the broth. Potatoes diced smaller for faster cooking. Increased garlic a bit in rouille, less salt for seasoning flexibility later. Olive oil good quality, fruity and fresh, important to the rouille creaminess. Parsley added at the end for freshness and color, cut into small pieces for better integration. Baguette slices toasted to golden, crisp but still soft inside. Lemons quartered thin for easy squeezing, adding brightness.
Method
ROUILLE
- 1. To start rouille, combine lemon juice with saffron in a small bowl. Let steep few minutes.
- 2. In a blender or processor, pulse garlic, egg yolks, saffron-lemon mixture, salt, and smoked paprika into a paste.
- 3. With motor running, slowly drizzle half the olive oil in thin stream until thick and creamy like mayonnaise forms.
- 4. Add remaining oil gradually, keeping mixture smooth and thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill until serving.
- 5. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add leek and garlic, sauté 3 minutes or until soft but not browned. Season with salt and pepper.
- 6. Pour in Pernod, let reduce about 1 minute to burn off raw alcohol.
- 7. Add fish stock and potatoes. Season lightly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes until potatoes are tender but firm.
- 8. Gently fold in tilapia, shrimp, and scallops. Increase heat to medium-high until just boiling. Cover and remove from heat immediately. Let rest covered 6 minutes so seafood finishes cooking through steam.
- 9. Taste broth, season with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle chopped parsley over stew.
- 10. Place slices of toasted baguette on plates or a board.
- 11. Ladle stew into bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and a dollop of rouille spread on bread if desired.
STEW
TO SERVE
Technique Tips
Begun with steeping saffron in lemon juice for fuller infusion. Rouille made early, thickened steadily with slow oil drizzle like making mayonnaise. Refrigeration helps flavors meld and texture fix. Sauté leeks softly without browning to keep sweetness. Pernod added then reduced to keep aroma but evaporate harshness. Simmer potatoes covered to speed tenderness without overcooking. Seafood added last and cooked gently closed off heat for even doneness—avoids rubbery texture. Final seasoning after seafood cooks to balance salt perfectly. Parsley scattered after off-heat rest to keep fresh herb character visible. Bread toasted separately to maintain crunch; rouille slathered tableside to avoid sogginess. Lemon wedges optional squeeze. Simple plating, but layered flavors through timing and blend of ingredients.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Chop leeks thin, keep layers. Soft but not brown. Garlic minced fine for rouille. Helps broth flavor pop.
- 💡 Pernod is strong. Use less if unsure. Let it simmer short time to reduce raw flavor and harshness.
- 💡 Potatoes cut small, speed cooking, simmer clear, firm. Overcooked potatoes mushy. Watch closely, taste for doneness.
- 💡 Seafood last. Add tilapia, shrimp, scallops gently. Off heat steam finishes cooking, keeps seafood tender. No rubbery texture.
- 💡 Fresh parsley at end. Brightens dish. Chopped small, mixed through stew. Enhances color and flavor, easy integration.
Kitchen Wisdom
Can I use different fish in stew?
Yes, any firm white fish works. Cod or haddock is good. Adjust cooking times as needed.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate stew in airtight containers. Consume within three days. Can freeze, but texture changes.
What side dishes pair well?
Simple salad adds freshness. Or steamed veggies for color and nutrients. Rice could work.
Can I skip rouille?
Yes, but it adds richness. May serve with other dips or simply lemon for tangy flavor. Still delicious.
