Portuguese Fish Stew (Caldeirada de Peixe)
An authentic Portuguese dish featuring treasures from the sea — tender fish, squid, shrimp, and shellfish in a fragrant tomato broth with white wine and saffron. Served with crispy garlic and olive oil croutons.
Ingredients
- 2 pcs Onion
- 1 pcs Red bell pepper
- 1 bunch Coriander (fresh)
- 1 pcs Hot red chili pepper
- 4 clove Garlic
- 400 ml Dry white wine
- 1 pinch Saffron
- 1 pcs Bay leaf
- 300 g Potatoes
- 400 g Canned plum tomatoes
- 600 g Cod
- 300 g Squid
- 8 pcs King prawns
- 500 g Clams
- 500 g Mussels
- 1 pcs Baguette
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Dice the onion and bell pepper, add to the skillet and cook for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables soften but do not brown. Finely chop the coriander stems (reserve the leaves for serving) and add to the skillet along with the diced hot pepper and minced garlic. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, add saffron and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat until the wine reduces by half, approximately 10–12 minutes.
- Cut the potatoes into medium-sized cubes. Add the potatoes, canned tomatoes, and 300 ml of water to the skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the tomatoes have broken down. Occasionally mash the tomatoes against the side of the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut the cod into large chunks and slice the squid into rings. Carefully arrange the cod in the broth. Distribute the squid, prawns, clams, and mussels on top. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 6–8 minutes until the clam and mussel shells open, the prawns turn red, and the fish becomes tender and flakes easily. (Discard any shells that do not open.)
- Slice the baguette diagonally into 1.5 cm thick slices. Toast on a grill or in the oven until crispy. Rub each slice with a garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil.
- Ladle the stew into bowls, sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves, and serve with croutons for dipping.