Here’s an irresistible twist on moqueca, the classic Brazilian fish stew. Marinated salmon is layered with onions, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and coconut milk and is stove-top cooked.
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One of the dishes that northern Brazil is known for is its “moqueca,” a delicious, hearty fish stew made with local white fish, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and coconut milk.
A few years ago, a Brazilian friend introduced me to a salmon version of this stew that she had improvised, since the typical Brazilian fish used for moqueca is not found here.
It was so good that I asked Fernanda for the recipe, which she translated into English for me. (By the way, you can’t get salmon locally in Brazil, so this really isn’t an authentic moqueca, it’s a Northern California interpretation.)
A surprising technique for delicious results
What is surprising about the method of the recipe is that the stew is left to simmer for at least 30 minutes. For those of us who love seafood, we know that fish and long cooking times don’t mix well. This stew is an exception. It requires the stew to simmer well past the salmon’s boiling point, but it works!
The result is a rich, creamy, intensely flavored coconut stew.
The salmon is first marinated with lime juice, paprika, and cumin, then simmered in coconut milk with onions, tomatoes, and paprika.
Freezer friendly salmon stew
The stew is even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to blend. You can also just freeze the soup (see Freezing Soup, Beans, and Broth). The soup is wonderfully warmed up!
More easy and comforting seafood recipes
- Spaghetti with mussels
- crab cakes
- Simply baked scallops
- Shrimp Quesadilla
- Quick easy fish stew
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Brazilian Salmon Stew (Moqueca)
ingredients
For the marinade:
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cloves from 1/2 head garlicpeeled, shredded and chopped
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2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
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3/4 teaspoon Coarse salt
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1 tablespoon sweet peppers
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2 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
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1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
For the soup:
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1 1/2 to 2 lb Salmoncut into 2 inch pieces (large bite sized pieces)
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Extra virgin olive oil
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2 Middle onionscut
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1 big green paprikacored, stemmed and sliced
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2 Middle tomatoescut
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Salt and fresh ground pepper
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1 (14–ounce) can regularly coconut milk (not easy)
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1 large bundle fresh corianderhacked (1 to 2 Cups)divided
method
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Marinate the salmon:
In a medium bowl, combine garlic, lime juice, coarse salt, sweet paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Let the salmon marinate in this paste for at least 2 hours. The longer the better.
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Layer the ingredients in a large saucepan:
Brush the bottom of a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add a layer of sliced onions, then a layer of sliced peppers, then a layer of sliced tomatoes.
Lay the pieces of fish with the marinade on everything and start layering again – onions, peppers and tomatoes.
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Top with coriander, coconut milk and olive oil:
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Add about half your fresh cilantro.
Pour coconut milk over everything. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil (several tablespoons).
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Cook stew:
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes to an hour.
Serve hot in individual bowls and garnish with the remaining coriander.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 392 | calories |
| 28g | Fat |
| 8g | carbohydrates |
| 27g | protein |
