Portuguese Fish Stew

Serves 4-6

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking Time:  45 minutes

The idea came from Good Housekeeping but I have made some tweaks as we don't eat clams which were the main ingredient and the Smoky Paprika was too domineering, so have replaced this with Sweet Paprika.   It made a light spicy and fragrant stew served on a bed of small new potatoes from the garden!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 Spanish onion, chopped

Half a jar of Sun-dried tomatoes, snipped into smaller pieces

Half a jar of roasted red peppers in brine, snipped into smaller pieces

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, grated

One heaped teaspoon Sweet Paprika

One quarter teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (careful not to add more or it will blow your mouth!!!)

200ml white wine

1 x 400g tins of Italian plum tomatoes

Half a teaspoon caster sugar (or alternative sweeten, otherwise the tomatoes can taste bitter)

2 large fresh bay eaves

Since of saffron

700g large prawns (we used frozen ones)

2 packs (4 frozen fillets) hake (found in the freezer cabinet of most supermarkets - or use cod, halibut etc)

Juice of one lime, plus second lime for wedges to serve

Good handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Baby new potatoes, cooked separately in boiling salted water

Seasoning

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

1. Cook baby new potatoes in salted boiling water for about 15 minutes, and when tender, drain and set aside.
   
   
2. Heat the oil in a Wok or large deep frying pan and soften the onion, do not colour.
   
   
3. Add the Sun dried tomatoes, sliced peppers, garlic, ginger and spices and cook for about 3 minutes.
   
   
4. Add the wine and stir well for 3-5 minutes.
   
   
5. Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves and saffron, bring to a simmer, season, cover and cook for about 20 - 30 minutes.
   
   
6. Add the prawns and hake (or whichever white fish you choose) together with the juice of one lime and cook for about five minutes.    If you use frozen products,  cook for a little longer, then leaving the pan covered, turn off the heat and leave for about fifteen minutes for the fish to finish cooking through without getting tough.
   
   
7. Stir in the chopped parsley.
   
   
8. Serve immediately, divide the potatoes between the bowls and ladle the stew on top and serve with the extra lime wedges.