Seafood Stew

Name: Seafood Stew
Ingredients: 8 cups cold water; 3 lb mixed small whole (1/4- to 3/4-lb) white-fleshed fish (such as black bass, branzino, daurade, red snapper, and rouget), cleaned and filleted with skin, reserving heads and bones for stock; 2 thin carrots, thinly sliced; 1 celery rib, thinly sliced; 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced, plus 1 large onion, chopped; 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns; 1 baguette; 2 lb baby squid, cleaned; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 flat anchovy fillets, minced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried small hot red chile such as peperoncini or dried hot red pepper flakes; 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 cup dry white wine

16 ingredients

7 steps

Ingredients

8 cups cold water
3 lb mixed small whole (1/4- to 3/4-lb) white-fleshed fish (such as black bass, branzino, daurade, red snapper, and rouget), cleaned and filleted with skin, reserving heads and bones for stock
2 thin carrots, thinly sliced
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced, plus 1 large onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 baguette
2 lb baby squid, cleaned
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 flat anchovy fillets, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried small hot red chile such as peperoncini or dried hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup dry white wine

Directions

1

Bring water to a simmer with reserved fish heads and bones, carrots, celery, sliced onion, and peppercorns in a wide heavy 6- to 8-quart pot, then simmer, uncovered, skimming foam as necessary, 30 minutes. Pour stock through a large sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. (You will have about 6 cups stock.)
2

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
3

Cut baguette into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then arrange in 1 layer in an ungreased shallow baking pan. Bake until toasts are crisp and dry, 15 to 20 minutes.
4

Chop enough squid to measure 1/4 cup, then toss remaining whole squid with 3/4 teaspoon salt and set aside. Remove any pin bones from fish fillets with tweezers or needlenose pliers, then cut fillets diagonally into serving pieces and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt.
5

Cook chopped onion in oil with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add anchovy, garlic, hot chile, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped squid and 1/2 cup parsley and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup stock, then arrange whole squid in 1 layer in pot and then place fish fillets on top.
6

Add enough of remaining stock to just cover fish and cook over moderate heat, uncovered, until fillets are just cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes.
7

Serve stew over toasts in shallow soup plates and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.