(Brazilian Fish & Shrimp Stew)
Total preparation time: 1 hour
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
1 kg Fresh fish pieces (preferably, thick fish steaks) (cleaned, of course!) (and fresh and clean shrimps, if you like!!!)
2 Lemons
2 large Tomatoes
1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro (or Coriander)
2 large Onions
1 clove Garlic (peeled and minced)
1 Green Pepper
1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Dendê Oil (optional)
1 cup Thick Coconut milk
to taste Brazilian Hot Pepper sauce (substitute with Tobasco etc.)
Steps:
Wash the fish pieces with the juice of 1 of the lemons.Then mince 1 tomatoe, 1 onion, half a green pepper, the coriander leaves and the garlic (or grate together in a blender), mix in the juice of the remaining lemon.
Coat the fish pieces in the above mixture and place in a deep pot (preferably a black clay muqueca pot. Sprinkle a little salt over the fish. Cut the remaining tomatoes, green pepper and onion into thin slices and spread under and over the fish pieces, as in layers. Sprinkle a little of the hot pepper sauce over top.
Pour the olive oil and half of the dendê oil over this (again, this is optional), cover the pot and cook over low heat (preferably a gas flame). (NEVER put the clay muqueca pot directly on an electric burner ALWAYS use the metal support should you have an electric stove!!. DO NOT add water... )
When the fish is close to fully cooked (almost loose and flakey), add the coconut milk and the remaining half of the dendê oil (remember, this is optional!).
After a few more minutes of cooking, remove from the heat.
Serve with plain white rice and optionally, a tasty "pirão" (a mix of manioc flour and the fish gravy in the form of a thick sauce which accompanies the moqueca complementing it in a perfect way.)
For a pinch of history check http://www.vivabrazil.com/moqueca.htm
