I recently had an abundance of Swiss chard in my fridge that I had purchased at the Covington Farmers Market. I was looking for a unique way to combine the chard with some fresh black drum and shrimp. Fish, shrimp, and Chard stew is the result of this union!
I love fish soups, seafood noodle bowls, and stews with fish, shrimp, and herbs. I have shared recipes with you for fish soups from around the world. My Indian fish curry is fragrant and spicy with an Asian and Indian influence. Tapado Garifuna is an Afro- Caribbean seafood stew that is rich and aromatic with coconut milk broth, fish, shellfish, and potatoes.
My Vietnamese-style salmon and veggie noodle bowl is alive with ginger, lime, and garlic.
This recipe for the fish, shrimp, and chard stew is more like an Italian-style zuppa di pesce. Use a firm white fish such as drum and peeled medium-sized shrimp.
To maximize the flavors of the stew, make a seafood broth with shrimp shells or fish heads and bones. If not, you can substitute chicken stock but it will not quite capture the subtle salty flavors of the seafood stock.
You can begin by sautéing onion and garlic in olive oil. Then add stock, tomatoes, fennel, and other herbs and spices. Allow the stock to simmer for a while so that the flavors combine.
Next, you can add the chopped chard to the simmering broth and allow it to wilt. Finally, after the vegetables are tender, you will add the fish and shrimp. Allow the seafood to poach in this simmering flavorful broth until firm.
The stew is a one-pot meal. It is light yet bursting with the complex flavors of fennel, peppers, garlic, the slightly bitter chard, and the salty broth.
The fish and chard stew is delicious accompanied by a crusty loaf of french bread or a chewy, crunchy ciabatta.
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