Name: How Colin Fassnidge makes a fish stew everyone will actually enjoy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 leather jackets, heads removed, cleaned and chopped into 3; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 large brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 medium bulb fennel, white and green parts roughly chopped; 50g ginger, sliced; 1 bulb garlic, skin on, halved horizontally; 1 bunch parsley, leaves chopped for garnish; 20g fennel seeds; 3 star anise; 2 leather jackets, cleaned and chopped into 3; 100mls white wine; 400g can chopped tomatoes; 500mls orange juice; 1 litre water; 125mls cream; 2 bay leaves; 1 bunch thyme; 1kg fresh mussels, beards removed; Chopped parsley, to garnish; Garlic bread; 8 slices sourdough; 3 Tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 tsp chopped thyme; 1 tsp fennel seeds

Let’s face it, fish stew isn’t the first choice on the menu for many people. But Colin Fassnidge has created a recipe that will wow anyone, even the biggest fish hater.

With fresh mussels, a citrusy flavour and, of course, a whole heap of garlic bread on the side, you’ll be begging for more.

Ingredients

2 leather jackets, heads removed, cleaned and chopped into 3

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium bulb fennel, white and green parts roughly chopped

50g ginger, sliced

1 bulb garlic, skin on, halved horizontally

1 bunch parsley, leaves chopped for garnish

20g fennel seeds

3 star anise

2 leather jackets, cleaned and chopped into 3

100mls white wine

400g can chopped tomatoes

500mls orange juice

1 litre water

125mls cream

2 bay leaves

1 bunch thyme

1kg fresh mussels, beards removed

Chopped parsley, to garnish

Garlic bread

8 slices sourdough

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp chopped thyme

1 tsp fennel seeds

Method

Step 1

Heat a stockpot over a high heat. Add oil and fish. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Add onions, fennel, ginger, garlic, parsley stalks and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally or until tender.

Step 2

Add wine and reduce by half. Add tomatoes, orange juice and water to cover. Stir in cream, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil. Simmer 30 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Step 3

Strain into a clean saucepan and reserve any nuggets of fish flesh and some fennel slices. Return liquid to boil. Squeeze garlic flesh from skins and add to pan with mussels. Cover with a lid and cook for about 6 minutes or until mussels open. Return reserved fish and fennel slices to pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

For garlic bread, brush bread lightly with combined oil, garlic, thyme and fennel seeds. Toast in a hot frying pan until golden on both sides.

Step 5

Serve stew with garlic bread. Garnish with chopped parsley.

colins fish stew with mussels and leatherjacket in soup in bowl with hands scooping it up and garlic bread to the front — *(Photography: Will Horner, Styling: Michele Cranston)*

Cook’s tip

You can also use the stew for poaching fish in.

Colin Fassnidge Chef

Colin brings his signature cheeky Irish flair to Better Homes and Gardens, joining the top-rating lifestyle program during its 30th anniversary year and becoming the latest ingredient in Australia’s favourite Friday night tradition.

Ingredients

Method

Cook’s tip

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