Fish Stew with Coconut

This Brazilian seafood stew is easy to make and works well as a main dish when served with rice. The chiles make it just right for a cold winter night.

Canned coconut milk can be purchased in the ethnic food section of most grocery stores. Thai Kitchen is one easily recognized brand name. Canned is much easier than "home made," but if you prefer making your own, the instructions for doing so follow this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 pounds firm white fish fillets, such as halibut or cod (Tilapia also works, but the chunks will be thinner than when using halibut or cod)
• 16 large shrimp (optional)
• 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups white rice

Directions:

1. Sort and rinse the rice. Put the rice to cook in 3 cups of water.
2. Chop onion and peel and mince garlic.
3. Core, seed and finely chop green and red bell peppers.
4. Seed and mince hot chiles, according to taste and being careful not to touch them (use gloves or a fork!)
5. Cut fish into 2-inch pieces.
6. Peel and devein shrimp.
7. Juice lime.
8. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil.
9. Saute onion, garlic, green and red peppers and chiles until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.
10. Stir in tomato paste and coconut milk.
11. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.
12. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
13. Stir in fish and shrimp.
14. Simmer until fish and shrimp are cooked through, about 7 minutes.
15. Add lime juice and cilantro and simmer 2 more minutes.
16. Taste for seasoning.
17. Serve in bowls with white rice.
18. Serves 6 when used as a main dish; 8 to 10 when used as a first course or side dish.

For 1/2 to 1 cup of coconut milk:

1. Using an ice pick, puncture two of the soft spots at the end of a coconut and drain the water. This is NOT the coconut milk!
2. Split the coconut using a hammer. If it is too hard, put it in a 350-degree oven until it cracks.
3. Use a sharp knife to separate it from the shell and to remove the dark outer layer.
4. Dice the white meat into smaller pieces, then process those pieces in a food processor until they are well broken up.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and continue processing until fluffy.
6. Remove from processor and place in a clean tea towel, then in a collander or strainer.
7. Drain coconut milk into a glass bowl, wringing towel to squeeze the coconut. Use immediately.

The coconut can be eaten as a snack, but it will be dry. It can be toasted and used as a topping for curry.

Fish Stew with Coconut

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