This traditional Portuguese stew layers seafood, potatoes, and vegetables all in one pot.
Caldeirada
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise
- 4 small beefsteak or medium vine tomatoes (about 1¼ lb.), cored, halved, and sliced into half-moons
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1¼ lb.), peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 9 springs fresh mint
- One small bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt
- 3 lb. mixed fresh fish, such as monkfish, eel, snapper, hake, or sea bass, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces, skin on
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2 to 3 fish heads from non-oily fish
- 3 medium crab legs, cracked (about 1-1/2 lb.)
- 8 head-on jumbo shrimp (about 3/4 lb.)
- Maldon salt, for serving
- Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, layer half of the onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and potatoes. Top with one-third of the herbs and one-third of the olive oil and season with salt. Add the fish in an even layer.
- Repeat the layering of vegetables with the remaining half of the onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and potatoes. Add an additional third of the herbs and olive oil and half of the wine. Layer on the fish heads, crab, and shrimp. Top with the remaining third of the olive oil and herbs and the remaining half of wine; season with salt.
- Set over medium-high heat until the pot begins to steam. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Cook until the vegetables are softened, the potatoes are cooked through, and the fish is cooked, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve with Maldon salt, additional olive oil, and crusty bread.
