Cod and chorizo stew has been called, by its creators nonetheless, an absolute cinch to make. If you have seafood anxiety, this might be the recipe that turns the tide for you (fish puns! #sorrynotsorry). Chorizo, chickpeas, honey, tomatoes, skinless cod fillets, and a handful of curly kale make a filling and impressive stew.
Adapted from Kirsty Scobie & Fenella Renwick | The Seafood Shack | Interlink Books, 2021
This is a wonderful heartwarming stew; it just feels wholesome and homey. The sour cream on top is, we think, really important and creates a lovely smooth finish. In the Shack, we always serve it with lemon and herb couscous and it goes down a storm.–Kirsty Scobie&Fenella Renwick
CAN I MAKE FISH STEW AHEAD OF TIME?
You definitely can. Make it up to a day ahead and rewarm it gently, and it won’t see any loss of flavor. Be gentle with the cod on reheating, so you retain a few nice chunks here and there. If you want to freeze a few portions, the authors confirm that this also freezes really well–just freeze before you add the cod and kale. Thaw the frozen portions and resume cooking at step 3.
☞ Contents
Cod and Chorizo Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil divided
- 3 ounces Spanish dry-cured chorizo halved and sliced into chunks
- 1 (7 oz) white onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 (5 oz) red bell pepper diced
- 1 can (14 ounce) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade tomato paste
- 1 fish bouillon cube crumbled
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cans (14 ounce) diced tomatoes
- 4 (1 lb 5 oz | 600 g) skinless cod fillets cut into large chunks
- 4 (6 oz) handfuls of curly kale sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 4 small pitas toasted
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 lemon wedges
Directions
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine 1 tablespoon of oil and chorizo. Cook until the chorizo releases its oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in onion, garlic, and red pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the drained chickpeas, tomato paste, bouillon cube, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, and honey, and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the canned tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining tablespoon of oil. Get the pan nice and hot, then add the pieces of cod, and season with salt and pepper. Sear the fish until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour the tomato and chorizo stew into the skillet along with the kale and simmer until the cod flakes apart and the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Serve with toasted pita, sour cream, and a wedge of lemon.
Show Nutrition
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This cod and chorizo stew comes together easily and is packed with flavour, especially if you get your hands on a piece of good quality chorizo. I got swiss chard in my farm delivery box, so I used that instead of kale and it worked beautifully. We enjoyed ours with an herby green salad with lemon dressing.
I think next time I would get the pan hot over high heat, rather than medium, to try and get some extra caramelization on the cod, and perhaps leave it in larger pieces. I cut mine into pieces about 1-inch square.
Originally published October 10, 2021
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Lydia Brimage
The finished cod and chorizo stew had a good consistency and great vibrant colour. I worried that the stew would be watery but it wasn’t at all and it didn’t need any thickening. The sour cream added a different texture and temperature and also moderated the spices which could be a little relentless otherwise.
The toasted pitas also added another nice texture to the stew. I’ll make this cod and chorizo stew again.