Salmon Moqueca

INGREDIENTS:
Fish and Marinade

1 ¹/₂ pounds wild sockeye salmon fillets
1 28-ounce can of peeled whole tomatoes, undrained
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 Serrano chile pepper, stemmed and cut in half (use the seeds, too, if you want your stew to be pretty spicy)
¹/₄ cup lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

FOR THE STEW

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
¹/₂ cup water (or fish stock)
³/₄ cup organic whole coconut milk
¹/₂ cup minced green onion (bottom parts only)- for garnish
¹/₂ cup cilantro, chopped- for garnish

Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian fish stew. It combines a lot of great flavors in one dish, including tomato, peppers, coconut milk, and cilantro. Some recipes call for cod, striped bass, or snapper, but because these fish are considered “moderate mercury” fish by the National Resources Defense Council, they are best eaten only occasionally. In this stew, we, of course, used wild Alaskan salmon, it is low in mercury, is sustainably harvested, and let’s not forget about all those awesome omega-3s.

Directions

Fish and Marinade

Place fish in a shallow non-reactive (non-metal) bowl. Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, chile pepper, lime juice, oil and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade (or a blender). Process until smooth and pour over fish. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

For the Stew
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potato and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, adding a little water if needed so it doesn’t burn, until softened. Add zucchini, green and red pepper and continue to cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes, again adding water to the pan, if needed. Add water or fish stock and stir in coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
Add fish and marinade and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Just before serving, stir in green onion and cilantro. Serve alone or over rice.