Best 2 Sicilian Salt Cod Stew Recipes

SICILIAN-STYLE FISH STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in 5-quart Dutch oven (like this one) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and a little salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp each). Cook, stirring regularly, until softened (about 4 minutes). Add thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook briefly until fragrant (about 30 more seconds).
• Now, stir in the white wine and reserved tomato juice from can. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about 1/2. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, raisins, and capers. Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat until flavors combine.
• Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Insert the fish pieces into the cooking liquid, and give everything a gentle stir so that the fish pieces are nicely covered in the cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and cover. Let sit off heat for another 4-5 minutes so that the fish will finish cooking. Fish should be flaky when gently pulled apart with a paring knife. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.
• Ladle the hot fish stew into serving bowls, top each with a few toasted pine nuts, if you like. Serve with your favorite crusty bread! Enjoy!

SALT COD, POTATO AND CHICKPEA STEW

Steps:

• Rinse salt cod, then place in a bowl of cold water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Change water every 2 hours if possible. (If desired, fully soaked cod may be refrigerated, drained and wrapped in plastic for up to 2 days.) Also put chickpeas in a bowl and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Leave to soak 8 hours or overnight.
• The next day, drain cod, chop it into 1-inch chunks, put it in a bowl and set aside. Put chickpeas and soaking water in a large pot over high heat. Add clove-stuck onion and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Skim foam, turn down heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until tender. Halfway through cooking, add 2 teaspoons salt. Turn off heat and leave chickpeas in their broth until ready to use. (Chickpeas may be cooked several hours ahead or even a day in advance if desired.)
• Make the stew: In a heavy soup pot, warm olive oil over high heat. Add diced onion and let sizzle, then reduce heat and cook until softened, stirring, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, saffron, pimentón and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Add wine and bring to a brisk simmer. Drain chickpeas, reserving 6 cups of the broth. Add the broth and potatoes to the pot, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Ladle about 2 cups of the stew's liquid over the salt cod pieces and let steep for 10 minutes (the fish will cook while steeping), then pour this mixture into the pot. Add the clams and reserved chickpeas to the pot and simmer, covered, until clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. To serve, stir in the cilantro and ladle the stew into big bowls.