Tuscan-inspired fish stew

Name: Tuscan-inspired fish stew
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tsp fennel seeds; 2 tbsp Essential Olive Oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 200 ml white wine; 400 g can Cirio Polpa Tuscan Chopped Tomatoes; 500 ml fresh Cooks’ Ingredients Fish or Vegetable Stock; 200 g packs cooked Scottish mussels; 300 g pack frozen squid rings, defrosted; 200 g Essential Hake Fillets, each cut into 4 quarters; Chopped flat leaf parsley, lemon wedges and crusty bread, to serve

Angela Hartnett cooked this recipe for Nick Grimshaw and guest Dolly Alderton on episode 5, season 2 of Dish, the Waitrose podcast.

4.5 out of 5 stars(7) Rate this recipe

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook35 mins
Total time45 mins

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1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp Essential Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
200ml white wine
400g can Cirio Polpa Tuscan Chopped Tomatoes
500ml fresh Cooks’ Ingredients Fish or Vegetable Stock
2 x 200g packs cooked Scottish mussels
300g pack frozen squid rings, defrosted
200g Essential Hake Fillets, each cut into 4 quarters
Chopped flat leaf parsley, lemon wedges and crusty bread, to serve

Heat a large, shallow casserole dish or sauté pan for which you have a lid over a medium-high heat. Toast the fennel seeds for 1 minute until fragrant, then crush in a pestle and mortar and set aside. Add the oil to the pan and sweat the onion and garlic, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes, then add the crushed fennel and fry for another 1 minute.
Tip the wine into the pan and simmer until reduced by half, then add the tomatoes and stock. Simmer vigorously for 15 minutes to reduce the liquid and intensify the flavours.
Reduce the heat to medium and nestle the mussels, squid and chunks of hake into the stew. Cover with a lid and cook for 7 minutes, giving everything a good shake from time to time. Discard any unopened mussels, and ensure everything is piping hot and the hake is opaque and flaky. Allow the stew to stand, covered, for 2 minutes before serving with parsley, lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Cook’s tip

This dish is based on 'Cacciucco', a Tuscan stew that traditionally contains five types of fish and seafood. Adapt the recipe as you wish – Angela suggests using a mix of your favourite fresh and frozen fish and seafood.