Name: Caribbean-style Seafood Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1/2 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices, or 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes with juice.
• 1 cup seafood stock or water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless red snapper, maki maki, or other white fish fillet, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 8 ounces large shrimp (about 12 shrimp), peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked rice, for side dish (optional)

Instructions:

• In a large Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering.
• Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and Scotch bonnet or habanero.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened somewhat but have not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 30 seconds more.
• Add the tomatoes, seafood stock or water, and the lime juice, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit and the flavors are melded, about 10 minutes.
• Gently stir in the fish and shrimp.
• Raise the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the seafood is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Taste, and season with additional salt and lime juice, if desired.
• Divide the stew among bowls, garnish with cilantro, and serve with rice, if desired.

Comments: If not planning to eat right away, you can make it to the point of adding seafood, then letting it cool completely, and refrigerating for up to 5 days.
20 March 2021 - I mostly stuck to the recipe, but omitted the hot pepper. I used a cup of freshly diced tomatoes, and substituted a teaspoon of garlic powder and a teaspoon of dried thyme. I used water in place of seafood stock. We ate it with a side of Caribbean Confetti Rice and a salad. Both Gail and I added some Cayenne Pepper to our dinner. Preparations took about 2 hours.
13 Jan 2025 - I substituted a carrot for the celery, a 6-oz can of Bumble Bee baby shrimp for the large ones, and vegetable stock for the fish stock. I omitted the spicy pepper. I used garlic powder and tried thyme, and 0.8-lb cod that had been frozen. I served it with a side of Caribbean Confetti Rice and a salad. Make this dish, the side dish, and the salad took a little over 1 1/2 hours. Juggling the preparation of the different dishes was hard.

Source: Ellie Krieger, The Washington Post, 10 March 2021

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