Quick Weeknight Fish Stew with Olives by Alison Roman

“Are there any recipes you’re really not looking forward to making?” - at least 100 people 

“Yeah, there’s this fish stew recipe with olives.” - me 

(360 days later)

“Really, you’re gonna let a stew stand between you and accomplishing your goal? Suck it up.” - this project 
“........................................... Fine.” - me 

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the makings of a good broth

If I sound like a broken record, I’m sorry. But I have to tell the truth! Once again, this stew was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. Will I make it again? Probably not. But at least I didn’t suffer while eating it. (If you’re new to the blog, please know that if you love seafood stew, you’ll probably love this — seafood stew just ain’t my thing.) 

What I liked most was the tomato-based broth. I chose to use a ripe, medium-sized tomato instead of a can of diced tomatoes (Alison gives us the option). Fresh tomato was definitely the way to go. It gave a subtler tomato taste and color to the stew than canned would have, which I found to be just enough to brighten things up. The broth also contains toasted shallot rings and garlic slices, reduced white wine, chili flakes, bay leaves, and water. Just reading that ingredient list tells you it’s got to be a solid broth base. 

The seafood part, now that’s where I falter. The recipe calls for cod (which we’ve established tastes too fishy), mussels (my first time buying my own mussels!), and shrimp (yes, more shrimp). Mussels are cooked first using the same method as you’d use with clams — nestling them in hot liquid and covering your pot with a lid to create steam. Within five or so minutes, those babies were opened. Cod and shrimp also need time to cook in the broth with the lid on, which took only another six minutes. 

The olives and herbs really brought everything together. I opted for crushed Castelvetrano olives over black olives for their obviously superior flavor. Finely chopped parsley and dill added an element of freshness and vibrant color that really helped with appetite appeal. I made a half-recipe and ate about a fourth of it. Jordan had a few bites too, but we got no where near to finishing it. 

As far as the recipe title goes, this recipe is relatively “quick” when it comes to stews, but it still takes a good bit of ingredient preparation and comes together in about 45 minutes. I guess it all depends on your definition of “quick.” 

Thank God that’s over with. 

220 recipes cooked, 5 to go.

Spring Seafood Stew with Peas, New Potatoes, and Tarragon by Alison Roman

It’s snowing furiously outside, sheets of snow flying sideways past the buildings of Chicago. It’s New Year’s Day, 2022. It’s most certainly not Spring. And I would far prefer to be watching the Harry Potter Reunion on HBO instead of writing an essay about seafood stew, but so it goes. 

[Okay, confession. I wrote the above sentences, and then decided to close my laptop and watch part of the HP Reunion. It was a great decision. It’s now January 2.]

I was most certainly not looking forward to making this stew. To eat one kind of seafood requires some self-convincing. To eat three kinds of seafood in one dish is almost impossible for me. This recipe calls for clams (mmm), cod (meh), and smoked trout (huh). I called an “audible” (a sports term I inherited through marriage, FYI) and skipped the smoked trout. While the cod turned out alright, it was a little fishy for my taste. Ultimately, I would have been most happy with this stew if it were just the veggies and the clams. But that’s just me! 

The stew comes together in a multi-step process. First, sauteeing the vegetables - celery, shallot, potato - until soft. The recipe calls for leeks, but I somehow missed it when creating my shopping list, so I made do with what I had on hand. Then white wine and bay leaves join and simmer until partially reduced. I poured seafood stock and water into the dutch oven and brought everything to a simmer, letting the potatoes start to fall apart, about 35 minutes. I will just note here that this was my first time purchasing seafood stock, and beforehand, I was nervous. I imagined a liquid that smelled like a fish tank. Well, I was wrong. I took one whiff of the open stock carton and hardly smelled a thing. Which gave me more confidence in what I was about to consume. 

I plopped my scrubbed clams into the simmering stew, along with a cup of frozen peas. Then placed the lid on and waited for the clams to open - about 12 minutes. The final step requires laying the pieces of cod into the broth while trying not to destroy their delicate flesh. I mostly succeeded. The pot’s lid returns once more so the cod can cook through. 

To serve, I ladled the stew into each bowl, followed by a dollop of crème fraiche and a mixture of parsley, tarragon, and lemon zest. I also warmed some slices of homemade sourdough bread for dipping. Just like Alison’s Clams with Cod and Cream (a v similar recipe, by the way) I would gladly count sourdough dipped in the broth as my dinner. 

A final word about “stew” vs. “chowder.” Alison’s recipe notes say that she waffled between whether to call this recipe a stew or a chowder, but ultimately decided there’s no difference before choosing “stew.” Jordan, Margaret, and I kindly, but firmly, disagree. In the words of Margaret: “I associate chowders with corn and seafood. To me, a chowder has to be creamy, usually through the addition of dairy, but sometimes can happen through other means (like maybe pureeing some portion of the chowder?). I’ve never heard of a beef chowder, for example.” If you have further thoughts on this stew v. chowder debate, feel free to comment below. 

199 recipes cooked, 26 to go.

Lamb Stew with Fennel, Preserved Lemon, and Crispy Fried Bread by Alison Roman

I was not in the mood for lamb stew. I was not in the mood for any kind of food. It was one of those days when hunger is present, but appetite is not. And perhaps the last thing that sounded good was lamb stew. But I spent $20 on a cut of boneless lamb shoulder and the expiration date was nearing (which causes me a particular kind of stress). I needed to make lamb stew. 

The first steps of the recipe requires some elbow grease. It begins by cutting the meat into two inch pieces, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and searing them until quite browned at the bottom of a dutch oven. While the meat is searing, a good bit of chopping and measuring take place. Chopping includes a fennel bulb, multiple garlic cloves and two shallots. Measuring includes cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and tomato paste. After the meat is the proper color and any excess fat is drained off, the chopped ingredients and seasoning spend time in the pot to warm and turn fragrant. Then a half cup of dry white wine deglazes the pot as you scrape up all the burned bits from the bottom. At this stage, the smells wafting up from the pot brought back about 10% of my appetite. 

Next, a can of crushed tomatoes and six cups of water join the stew. Seasoned with salt and pepper, the liquid is set to medium-low heat, and the meat becomes tender as it braises for two and a half hours. As time goes on, the stew thickens and the meat loses its toughness. Another 10% of my appetite returned as I pulled a chunk of lamb apart with my fork, requiring minimal effort to do so. 

As the stew nears completion, it’s back on your feet to make a batch of fried bread. Alison suggests a “country loaf,” but I chose some leftover homemade sourdough. I tore several slices into large-ish chunks and placed them in a skillet with sizzling olive oil. Without pressing the bread down too much so as not to lose any volume, the bread fries and turns a light golden brown. Seasoned with salt and Aleppo pepper, these giant stewtons (get it? Stew-croutons? ok) provide the perfect salty, chewy contrast to the tomatoey, tangy stew and gamey lamb. The final element is preserved lemon – which brightens everything nicely.  

My appetite never fully showed up that day, but I still greatly enjoyed this stew – far more than I expected. Jordan especially loved it. 

I’ll make this again next winter - it would be a lovely snow day meal. 

60 recipes cooked, 165 to go.

Pork and Red Chile Stew with Tomatillos by Alison Roman

In the best way, this stew was divisive in our home. I’ve now firmly decided that posole (which is basically what this stew is) is not my thing. There’s a lot I appreciate about it, particularly the chewy hominy. But one bowl is more than enough for my palate. J, on the other hand, asked if I could make this every week. So I thought, who better to write about this stew, than the man who loves it?

Without further ado, it is my distinguished honor to introduce to you, my beloved partner in life and love, J…

Greetings, reader.  I am the person to whom this blog sometimes refers as “J”: Annie’s husband, or the person who is, in legal parlance, the “intended beneficiary” of her cooking exploits.  You can call me a grateful beneficiary too, because my, oh my, have my culinary sides been satisfied from the minute Annie opened Dining In.

 The recipe of the day is “Pork and Red Chile Stew with Tomatillos.”  I’ll get straight to the chase: this dish is a treat.  If you’re anything like me, then you enjoy a hot stew in the cold of winter.  This stew delivers the goods.

Start with the pork itself.  One thing that eternally frustrates me about many soups and stews is that a chef will often neglect the meat itself and assume that as long as the stew—the broth, vegetables, spices, and so on—is in gear, the whole meal will sing.  With respect, I dissent.  A good meat is the foundation of any good stew; give it attention, love, and concern.  I will take notice.  And this dish does just that.  By the time this stew is ready, the meat is sufficiently salty, sufficiently tender, and delightfully spiced.  Frankly, the pork itself would serve as a meal unto its own.  So far, in other words, so good.

Let’s talk about the stew.  Suddenly you arrive at one of the best darn stews you’ve ever had the pleasure of slurping.  As with pretty much every one of Alison Roman’s recipes, the flavor hits the palate instantly, and it sticks around for a while too.  The acidity and lightness of the tomatillo contrasts nicely with the generous doses of salt, garlic, and other spices.  Then the eminently bitable hominy kicks in, adding texture and creativity to a dish that barely needed more.

The result?  This dish can lay claim to an accomplishment that few dishes ever will: I can eat it five meals in a row (as I did this past week).  Alison Roman, with a major assist from Annie’s cooking execution, delivers again.

17 recipes cooked, 208 to go.