30 Minute Spicy Red Fish Stew

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 tsp. finely minced fresh garlic
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb. cod, halibut, or tilapia fillets, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Choose a small frying pan with taller sides, since you want the broth to come up around the fish once it goes in. An 8 inch pan works well. Warm the olive oil in the pan, then add the chopped red onion or shallot and cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, until softened and just beginning to color.
2. Stir in the chopped red bell peppers, diced tomatoes and their juice, minced fresh garlic, and red pepper flakes. Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, so the garlic mellows and the flavors come together.
3. While the stew base is bubbling away, zest and juice the lemon, then chop the cilantro. Cut the fish fillets into 1 inch pieces, and pat them dry with a paper towel if they need it.
4. Mix the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro into the pan. Add the fish and stir carefully, just enough to settle the pieces into the stew.
5. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the fish is just beginning to turn opaque and has released a little of its liquid into the stew. Stir once more, add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and serve hot with more chopped cilantro on top if you like.