I turned out this Brazilian fish stew – aka moqueca – nearly two weeks ago and am still thinking about it. Why? For one thing, the dish is delicious: light yet flavorful, thanks to the addition of aromatics (like cilantro, garlic and ginger), coconut milk and a splash of fish sauce. Second, the recipe is foolproof and perfect for anyone who enjoys eating but avoids cooking seafood (like me).
Brazilian fish stew comes together fairly quickly once you’ve gathered the ingredients. To make the moqueca, follow a few simple steps:
- Cut up and marinate some cod.
- Prepare a broth.
- Bake the fish and add it to the simmering liquid.
Then dig in! Serve the stew with crusty bread and chilled white wine for a special occasion or casual night in. The meal is sure to impress.
Recipe adapted from The Wanderlust Kitchen.
- 1½ pounds cod, skin removed and cut into large chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced, divided
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced, divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 1" piece fresh ginger, minced, divided
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, divided
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced orange bell pepper
- ½ cup diced yellow bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 14 oz. can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
- ½ 14 oz. can hearts of palm, drained and cut crosswise into ¼"-thick pieces
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Place the cod in a resealable plastic bag.
- In a small bowl, combine half of the yellow onion, green onion, cilantro, garlic and ginger. Add 3 tablespoons coconut oil and stir to combine. Add the mixture to the bag with the cod, seal and transfer to the refrigerator. Let marinate for 3 hours, flipping the bag twice.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the cod from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature while you prepare the broth.
- In a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat. Add remaining yellow onion and green onion, along with red, orange and yellow bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add remaining garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer while you finish preparing the cod.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place cod with marinade ingredients on baking sheet. Bake until barely cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Add cod and any accumulated juices (and onion) to pot. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Uncover, add tomatoes and hearts of palm, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Add fish sauce and black pepper and stir to combine. Serve immediately with remaining cilantro.
