Mediterranean Fish Stew (30 minute recipe)

Let’s set the scene.  The toddler is tired and crying.  We need to put her down to sleep in 1 hour which means we have to eat in the next 30 minutes.  All we have are some basic vegetables; carrots and potatoes; and a pound of halibut.  This is my favorite type of problem to solve.  How to make a delicious meal with what is on hand and do it fast.  Mediterranean fish stew is one of those meals: quick (5 minutes of prep, 25 minutes on the stovetop), yummy (even our little one loved it) and enough leftover for lunch the next day.

I’ll be honest, even with my love of everything Mediterranean, I don’t cook fish all that often.  Generally, I am more likely to get fish when I eat out than when I am at home.  I do love making fish stew though.  I had some amazing fish stews while sitting at small tavernas overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Crete and I enjoy the simplicity of a few vegetables, fresh herbs or spices, fish and a good  broth.  Plus there was the added benefit of watching the fishermen come in with their catch in the morning and eating it later in the day.

This Mediterranean fish stew is perfect using any white fish.  I have tried it with both halibut and flounder.  It is so simple to make that even a novice in the kitchen will find making it to be a breeze.  You don’t even have to cut the fish before putting it in the broth, because it will fall apart naturally on its own.

The simplest side item to serve Mediterranean fish stew with is some bread and a Greek salad.  We would often have a glass of wine and some tzatziki when we had fish stew on the island.