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Best of January – Maine Fisherman’s Stew
Served with biscuits and a cucumber salad
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Serves 4
Prep time: 45 minutes (over 2 days) Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes |
- 2 small yellow onions
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 2 long (English) cucumbers
- Baking powder
- Whole milk (you’ll need a little over 3 cups)
- 7 oz. container plain yogurt (we like Greek)
- 4 large eggs
- 8 oz. bacon, preferably without nitrites
- 2 lbs. hake, lingcod, halibut, or other firm white fish
Shopping List
- All-purpose, unbleached flour
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
- Sugar
- Unsalted butter
- White wine vinegar
Pantry Items
- 9X13 baking dish
- Chef’s knife
- Food processor
- Large saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Nonstick fry pan
- Parchment paper
- Paring knife
- Rolling pin
- Sheet pan
- Sifter
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Tongs
- Vegetable Peeler
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
Tools
- Wine: Try a Sauvignon Blanc
- Dessert: Apple Pie
Suggestions
- Prep the day before
- Rinse the fish and check it for bones. Remove any you find.
- Sprinkle the bottom of the 9×13 non-reactive (glass) baking dish with 1 tbsp. salt.
- Lay the fish fillets on top, trimming them to fit if necessary.
- Sprinkle with 2tbsps. salt, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to get started
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine and refrigerate it.
- Prep the day you’ll eat
- About 2 hours before you plan to eat, score the cucumbers down their length with a fork, then slice them into thin slices (use a mandolin
if you have one).
- In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup vinegar, 2 tbsps. sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt and lots of black pepper. Add the cucumbers and toss.
- Measure out 4 tbsps. (½ stick) unsalted butter and cut it into small pieces. Refrigerate.
- Put another piece of butter on a plate and put it on the table (it’s for the biscuits).
- Put 4 eggs in a medium saucepan, cover them with water and place over medium-high heat. When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook the eggs for 10 minutes.
- Drain the eggs and put them in a bowl under cold running water for about 5 minutes.
- Why not go ahead and set the table now?
- About an hour before you eat, preheat the oven to 425F.
- Thinly slice the onions (use your mandolin
- Pour 1 cup vinegar into a bowl. Add the onions, pushing them down into the vinegar. Set aside.
- Rinse and pat dry the parsley. Pluck 1 cup leaves.
- About 2 hours before you plan to eat, score the cucumbers down their length with a fork, then slice them into thin slices (use a mandolin
- Start Cooking
- Peel and halve the potatoes. Put them in a saucepan, cover them with water, add 2 tsps. salt and cook until they are soft, which will take 20 minutes.
- Make the biscuits: Measure out 1/3 cup yogurt and ½ cup milk.
- Sift 1-3/4 cups flour, 2 tsps. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt into a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Mix.
- Cut the butter into it using two knives, your fingertips, or the food processor. The result you want is a mixture that resemble coarse cornmeal.
- Using a fork, mix in the yogurt, then ½ cup milk. Add more milk if the dough is dry – you want it soft (not sticky!).
- Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour and turn out the dough onto it. Knead just long enough so the dough holds together.
- Roll out the dough so it is 1-1/4 inches thick, shape it into a square and cut it into 12 squares.
- Line the sheet pan with parchment, and put the squares on the parchment. They can be touching.
- Put the biscuits in the center of the oven and bake until they’re nice and gorgeously golden, about 18 minutes.
- Check the potatoes. If they’re soft, remove them from the heat. They can stay in the water to keep warm.
- Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces.
- Put the bacon in the nonstick fry pan over medium heat and cook until it is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer it to a bowl, with its fat. Keep warm.
- Time to cook the fish. Rinse it under cold water, on each side.
- Put it in the large saucepan and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil, remove from the heat and drain.
- Cover the fish with water and bring the water to a boil again. This time, reduce the heat to medium so the water simmers and cook the fish until it is translucent (15-20 minutes.)
- While the fish is cooking, make the egg gravy.
- Peel and coarsely chop the eggs.
- Melt 4 tbsps. butter in the medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in 3 tbsps. flour and cook for 2 minutes. Check so it doesn’t burn.
- Whisk in 2 cups milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir the the chopped eggs into the sauce.
- Check the biscuits – if they’re baked put them on a cooling rack and turn off the oven. Put plates in the oven to warm.
- Check the fish. If it is cooked, remove it from the heat. Gently remove it from the liquid and arrange it on a large platter.
- Mince the parsley.
- Drain the liquid the fish has released. Drain the potatoes and arrange them around the fish. Sprinkle with parsley.
- Dinner is ready! Serve the fish and potatoes with the bacon, egg gravy, onions and vinegar and cucumber salad on the side. Oh! Don’t forget the biscuits, and the wine.
