If you’re looking for a quick, easy and flavorful one pot dish then you’re in the right place! There are many variations for fish stew depending on the region from where the dish was originally made – whether that be Italian, Nigerian or Mediterranean.
I call my fish stew recipe a mix of Creole and Jamaican. In my native New Orleans almost every food (and I mean everything) is based using the “Holy Trinity“. This dish is no exception. Many of the other spices for fish stew that are needed are likely already in your spice rack.
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The Jamaican twist comes in with the addition of curry powder to the recipe. I previously never used curry in my cooking but I latched onto the apron strings of my Jamaican mother-in-law a few years ago and the rest is history!
Since catfish is so plentiful in New Orleans it’s the fish that I use when I make my fish stew. However, any firm, white fish (such as red snapper, halibut or sea bass) will do.
Creole/Jamaican Fish Stew
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (preferably orange or yellow)
- 1 medium sized tomato, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes) use black pepper or skip if sensitive to spicy foods
- 1 tsp seasoned salt I use Season-All by Morton
- 2 tbsp curry powder preferable Blue Mountain Country Brand
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 lbs fish (any white fish such as catfish, red snapper or sea bass) – cut into about 2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, thick bottomed pot or dutch oven and saute the onions, celery, tomatoes and bell peppers until soft, approximately 5-6 minutes, add the garlic, seasoned salt and cayenne pepper and cook one additional minute.
- Add the butter and mix with ingredients until completely melted. Add the curry powder and flour and mix with the ingredients. (It will start to clump and stick together but this is the base for your roux – which thickens the dish)
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth and stir until all ingredients are mixed well and mixture is smooth. At this point you can taste the mixture and add more salt or pepper if needed. Also if stew is too thick for your liking at this point you can add more broth. If stew is not thick enough you can add more curry powder as it works as a thickener.
- Add the fish and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the fish is cooked through (you can tell the fish is done when it easily flakes apart). Fish cooks rather quickly so this should only take about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Serve over rice and enjoy!