While in Mexico, I had this incredible lunch with my Mom in the resort by the ocean. The thing you ought to know about me is that I am the kind of individual who might simply pick a fresh seafood stew over beef stew or even a white bean and kale Tuscan-y sorta thing. That’s just who I am! How-ev-er, the fellow serving me my soup on the Mexican soup day depicted it to me as something you’d gobble up just before before curling up with a good book and relaxing by the pool. <— read that once more. This guy knew my food love language and he gave it to me straight on. It’s exactly what I needed before heading to the pool so my Mom could watch me fry myself in the hot tropical sun that my skin hasn’t seen for months, and doesn’t nag at me to put on more sunscreen.
Then she tells me afterwards that it looks like I got a little “red”.
I can’t decide if I appreciate that or not.
With regards to this recipe, I got my seafood from Granville Island, from a guy who works in Alaska and gets bunches of crisp fish when he comes. *best place to get fresh seafood ever*
At last the server at the resort was thoroughly right. This is the perfect dish for nap time in the sun.
These enormous dishes of consoling Mexican fish stew begin with olive oil, onions, and garlic. Take in the odors, feel their warming and restorative powers, and transport to an happy place. At that point: Stock and potatoes. Cilantro and tomatoes. Then flaky, fish, juicy shrimp and succulent muscles that will make the entire thing inside and out sing with both nuance and freshness.
Finish it all off with creamy avocado, and pieces of sweet corn if you’d like, or just a squeeze of fresh lime. Off you go!
- 1 pound fresh squid, cleaned and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 quarts vegetable stock
- 1-1/2 pounds/12 ripe plum tomatoes, diced OR one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, drained
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- A small handful of fresh cilantro
- 2 to 3 dried árbol chiles, stemmed, seeded and broken into small pieces
- Salt
- 6 medium red skinned potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
- 1 pound (about 24) medium-large shrimp
- 16-20 mussels, scrubbed, debearded
- 1 pound boneless, skinless fish fillets (for the best flavor such as grouper, snapper, halibut, sea bass, etc. cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 to 3 limes, cut into wedges, avocado, corn, cilantro for garnish
- Heat the oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Fry half of the onion, garlic and the bay leaves for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion, garlic are soft.
- Add the squid, measure in 2 quarts of vegetable stock or water. and bring to a simmer, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to keep the liquid at a very gently roll. Cook until the squid is thoroughly tender, about 25 minutes. Strain, reserving the solids (discard the bay leaves). Measure the liquid. You should have about 6 cups (if you have too little, add water; if too much, either pour off the excess or quickly boil the whole thing down to 6 cups). Wipe out the pot and set aside.
- Combine the remaining onion and garlic with the tomatoes and process to a smooth puree in the food processor. Add more of the oil to the pot and heat over medium-high. Add all of the tomato contents until cooked down to the consistency of tomato paste. Pour in the squid broth, cilantro and chiles. Season generously with salt.
- Add the potatoes, and cook on medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high.
- Add the fish cubes.
- When it starts to boil, cook for 3 minutes, then add the squid, muscles and shrimp.
- Put the lid on the pot, turn off the heat and let stand for 3 to 4 minutes to gently finish the cooking.
- Season to taste, then divide among bowls and serve immediately, garnished with fresh cilantro, avocado, corn, and/or lime wedges.
