European Fish Stew

SERVES: 4

COOK TIME: 35 Min

With all the oceans and seas surrounding Europe, it's no wonder fresh seafood has always been popular there. And after we let our fish dishes simmer to "marry" the flavors, we can close our eyes and imagine we've taken a trip to the Continent.

What You'll Need

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium-sized onions (about 2 cups), chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh or frozen whiting fillets, thawed if frozen, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound mussels, cleaned

What to Do

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and celery, and cook until tender. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, wine, bay leaves, parsley, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the whiting and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Add the mussels and simmer for 4 to 5 more minutes or just until the mussels open. Do not overcook the mussels. Discard any mussels that do not open by themselves.