Recipes Catalan Fish Stew 1 Review This rich, flavorful Catalan twist on fish stew comes from chef Mark Sullivan, who traveled and cooked in the Mediterranean in his 20s and returned with a deep affection for the fish stews of the region. By Mark Sullivan Mark Sullivan Why Because he has successfully stretched the definition of "pub food" to include foie gras and oxtail ragout, but he's not afraid to keep a burger and fries on the menu. Born New York, NY, 1966. Education He is a self-taught chef. Experience 42 Degrees, San Francisco; Plumpjack Squaw Valley Inn, Olympic Valley, CA. How he describes his food "We call it American, but we're really influenced by European technique—French, Spanish and Italian." How he got into cooking "I thought I'd give it a year. But when I was working, I never watched the clock. I just loved what I was doing." Favorite cheap mealA beer and a burrito at La Cumbre Taqueria in San Francisco's Mission District. Bedside reading "Lately, I've been interested in management. I'm reading a book called Jack Welch and the GE Way by Robert Slater." Favorite kitchen tool The tamis (drum sieve). "It creates a fine, even texture. I like hand tools in general. I don't think you need a lot of electrical equipment in a kitchen." About his recipe Sullivan says the best part of making his shell bean soup with pistou is "the meditative task of peeling the fresh beans. And I love the creamy texture of the cranberry beans." Won Best New Chef at: Village Pub, Woodside, CA Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 1, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Chris Chen Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Yield: 4 Chef Mark Sullivan says that a truly great fish stew tastes complex but shouldn’t be difficult to make. An aromatic broth — made from fish head and bones — is the crucial first step. Here, the broth is rich and boldly flavored with chorizo and smoked paprika. Ingredients Fish Stock 1 pound fish head and bones, gills removed (see Note) Ice water 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped 1 medium fennel bulb, coarsely chopped 4 celery ribs, coarsely chopped 4 garlic cloves, halved 1/2 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded 1/2 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed 1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine 4 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth 1 lemon, thinly sliced 6 thyme sprigs 6 parsley sprigs 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon white peppercorns Fish Stew 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 pound dry Spanish chorizo, finely diced 1/4 cup minced shallots 2 tablespoons minced seeded tomato 2 tablespoons minced piquillo pepper Pinch of pimentón de la Vera 1/4 cup dry sherry 8 colossal head-on shrimp (about 3 pounds) 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded 1/2 pound cleaned squid, bodies thinly sliced crosswise 1/4 cup unsalted roasted almonds, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley Directions Make the stock Put the fish head and bones in a large bowl, cover with ice water and let soak for 1 hour. Drain well. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, fennel, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add the fish head and bones along with the mussels, clams, white wine, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over low heat and simmer for 1 hour, skimming off the foam as it rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon, thyme and parsley sprigs, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Let steep for 30 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and refrigerate until ready to use. Make the stew In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo, shallots, tomato, piquillo, and pimentón and sauté over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the 3 cups of the fish stock (reserve the rest for another use) and sherry and bring to a simmer. Add the seafood in stages according to cooking time, starting with the fish that takes longest to cook: Cook the shrimp until white throughout, flipping once, about 8 minutes; cook the clams and mussels until they open, 3 to 4 minutes; and cook the squid until white, about 2 minutes. Discard any clams or mussels that don't open. Serve the stew in bowls, garnished with the almonds and parsley. Make Ahead The broth can be refrigerated for 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months. Notes Ask your fishmonger for the head and bones from a mild, non-oily white fish, such as cod, snapper, halibut, or sea bass. Serve With Toasts drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with 1 halved garlic clove and 1 halved tomato. Rate it Print