Aegean Fish Stew

From EatingWell: September/October 1994 — Subscribe Now!

A simple stew of fish and vegetables, enriched with the most famous sauce of Greek cuisine: avgolémono, egg and lemon sauce. This is a saucy dish; serve with lots of crusty country bread.

4 servings

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound halibut or sea bass fillet, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, or 1 cup bottled clam juice diluted with 2 cups water (see Note)
12 ounces yellow-fleshed potatoes (3-4), such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths lengthwise, depending on size
12 ounces carrots (about 4), cut into 2-inch-long sticks
1 large egg
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or fennel fronds, or fennel fronds

Preparation

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge fish in flour. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large sauté pan. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly with oil, then add the fish. Cook, turning, just until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in wine and bring to a boil. Add broth (or diluted clam juice); bring to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots and return to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
Return the fish to the pan, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until the fish is opaque in the center, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the fish and vegetables to a plate with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
Increase the heat to high and boil the cooking liquid for 5 minutes to intensify the flavors. Whisk together egg, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and dill (or fennel) in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk a little of the hot cooking liquid into the egg mixture, then pour the egg mixture into the remaining cooking liquid in the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (do not boil) and the liquid reaches a temperature of 160&ordm;F on an instant-read thermometer, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the fish and vegetables to the pan and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Note: Bottled clam juice can be very high in sodium. We like Bar Harbor brand, which has 120 mg sodium per serving. Look for it in the canned-fish section or the seafood department of your supermarket.

Nutrition

Per serving: 338 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 85 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 5 g fiber; 497 mg sodium; 1218 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (289% daily value), Selenium (69% dv), Vitamin C (51% dv), Potassium (35% dv), Folate (16% dv).

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 1/2 very lean meat, 1/2 fat