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Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)

Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)

Coconut oil reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk, and we give the broth some color with sweet paprika.

By Laura RussellOctober 15, 2019

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    45 minutes
  • Rating

Moqueca is traditionally made with red palm oil, which lends the stew an orange-red hue; we opted for easier-to-find coconut oil that reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk, and we give the broth some color with sweet paprika. By poaching large pieces of cod rather than bite-size chunks, it’s easier to keep the fish from overcooking; when you stir in the cilantro at the end, simply break the fish into smaller bits. Any type of boneless, skinless firm white fish works well in this recipe, but if the fillets are thin, they will cook more quickly than cod, so make sure to adjust the timing accordingly. Serve with steamed rice.

Tip

Don’t overmarinate the cod in the lime juice or the acid will degrade the texture of the fish. No more than twenty minutes or so is best.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons coconut oil, preferably unrefined

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1

    medium yellow, red or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

  • 1

    serrano chili, stemmed and sliced into thin rounds

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, minced, divided

  • ¾

    teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 14½

    ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 4

    6-ounce skinless cod fillets

  • 1

    tablespoon grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more juice if needed

  • 8

    ounce bottle clam juice

  • 1

    cup coconut milk

  • 14

    ounce can diced hearts of palm

  • ½

    cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Step 1

In a Dutch oven, heat the coconut oil over medium until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and chili, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

Stir in ½ the garlic, the paprika, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the fish, lime zest and juice, the remaining garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Turn to coat on all sides, then set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Step 3

Add the clam juice, coconut milk and ½ cup water to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the hearts of palm and the fish with its marinade. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.

Gently flip the fish and continue to cook until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork, about another 3 minutes.

Step 4

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro, breaking the fish into chunks as you stir. Taste and season with salt, pepper and lime juice.