Tomato & Seafood Stew

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 0.5 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 200 ml dry white wine
• 200 ml fish stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 300 g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 300 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 250 g firm cod fillets, cut into large chunks (cod, haddock or pollock)
• crusty sourdough bread, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, lidded casserole over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook for 8 minutes until softened and smelling sweet. Stir in the garlic, chilli flakes, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
2. Pour in the white wine and bubble hard for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, fish stock, red lentils and chopped roasted pepper. Season generously. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the broth has thickened and deepened in colour.
3. Add the fish chunks to the simmering sauce, pushing them gently under. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the prawns and mussels, pressing the mussels hinge-side down. Put the lid on and steam for 4–5 minutes, until the mussels have opened and the prawns are pink and curled. Discard any mussels that haven't opened.
5. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning — it should be punchy and faintly smoky. Scatter over the reserved fennel fronds.
6. Serve in deep bowls with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the broth.