Fish Stew with Cod, Swordfish, and Mussels
Serves 4
The first time I ever made a seafood stew, it was a disaster. I
overloaded a pot with fish and potatoes and left it on high heat for
so long that half an hour later, the fish was so overcooked it
resembled Sally Field’s performance in Not Without My Daughter.
The secret to Waxman’s remarkable fish stew (which he talked me
through, improvisationally, after a fisherman delivered an
enormous portion of swordfish) is that you only need to cook it
just enough.Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed*
1 large shallot, minced
1 baby fennel bulb, stems cut into small pieces and the bulb
diced (if you can’t find baby fennel, use half a regular fennel)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium fillet of swordfish, skin cut off, cut into cubes
1 medium fillet of cod, skin left on, cut into cubes
6 to 8 mussels*, scrubbed and debearded
6 to 8 heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ glass (about 2½ ounces) white wine*
Juice of ½ lemon