Recipe: Moqueca (Brazilian Seafood Stew)
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Servings:
6 to 8 serving
Ingredients
  • :::For the Moqueca:2 pounds yuca, peeled and medium diced, divided:::
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 2 plum tomatoes
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
  • ¼ cup grapeseed oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, medium diced
  • 1 yellow onion, medium diced
  • 1 celery stalk, medium diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, medium diced
  • ½ cup green curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 pound (1½ cups) okra, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch rings
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup fish sauce
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves (preferably fresh)
  • 8 ounces salt cod, soaked overnight
  • 8 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • :::For the Prawns:1 pound (12 medium) head-on prawns, peeled and deveined:::
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • :::For Assembly:Steamed rice, for serving:::
  • Thinly sliced Thai basil, for garnish
  • Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Directions
  1. Make the moqueca: In a blender, combine three-quarters of the yuca with the water, spinach, tomatoes and jalapeño. Purée until smooth and set aside.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, 1 minute. Add the carrots, onion, celery and poblano pepper, and cook, stirring often, until soft and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the curry and tomato pastes, and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
  3. To the pot, add the remaining quarter of the yuca, the reserved yuca purée, the okra, chicken stock, fish sauce and lime leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the yuca is tender and the liquid is thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small pot, cover the salt cod with cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then immediately drain and rinse with cold water. Repeat this process 2 more times, then roughly chop the salt cod.
  5. Add the salt cod and the smoked salmon to the stew, and cook until the fish is opaque, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, then keep warm until ready to serve.
  6. Prepare the prawns: In a medium bowl, toss the prawns with the parsley, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Season with salt. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Add the prawns and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  7. Assemble the dish: Divide steamed rice between bowls and ladle the stew over it. Top with 2 prawns and garnish with sliced Thai basil and scallions, then serve.