The Bright Star Seafood Stew recipe

Bright Star's Fish Stew

(Serves 4)

Prepare Fish Stock followed by Stew

Fish Stock

2 pounds fish bones, rinsed

6 cups water

1 medium carrot, diced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 celery rib, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large pot, combine the fish bones with the water, diced carrot, sliced onion and celery and the chopped garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and sea salt and bring the fish stock to a simmer over moderately low heat. Simmer the stock for 30 minutes. Strain the fish stock through strainer into a large bowl.  Set aside.  Makes 6 cups.  Prepare with Bright Star Fish Stew.

Fish Stew

3 cups oil

4 slices bacon, crumbled

1 cup chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped green pepper

2 cups chopped carrots

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 6oz. fillet of snapper

1 tablespoon creole seasoning, to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350.

In a soup pot heat oil on medium heat.  Add bacon, onions, celery, and green peppers and carrots  and cook until tender. Stir in bay leaves, reduce heat to very low and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in corn starch.

Stir fish stock into stew and mix well.

Sprinkle both sides of each snapper fillet with creole seasoning .   In a cast iron black skillet, heat oil over medium high heat for three minutes.  Place snapper fillet one at a time in skillet and cook on each side two minutes until lightly seared.  Once all four fillets are grilled, place in lightly greased 13 x 9 pan  and bake in oven for 10 minutes.  Remove fish and lightly cover with foil.

To plate, ladle stew into large shallow bowl and top with grilled fish.  Bon Appetit.