On one of the many cold, gray nights this winter I returned home from Whole Foods with a few pounds of local, wild monkfish, organic sweet potatoes and my canvas bag filled with some fresh herbs and otherwise unrelated items. I had been thinking of a simple dinner of roasted yams, fish and a salad, but my body and soul apparently wanted something different! The monkfish and sweetpotato became a delicious and comforting one-pot monkfish stew that was on the table in less than thirty minutes!
Use what you have in your pantry and freezer with a little creativity and BAM, a healthy and easy dinner can be on the table in no time! We always have capers, olives, chicken or vegetable broth, canned or jarred tomatoes, dried herbs and spices, frozen green veggies, fresh onions and garlic (they last forever), grains and beans. Try stocking your kitchen with these staples and see what you come up with!
Ingredients:
*use organic if possible!
1 large yellow onion, cut into quarters and sliced thinly
1 large (or 2 medium) sweet potato, yam or yukon gold potato (the one i used was REALLY large), chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups chicken or veg broth
2 green onions (scallions), slices into thin rounds
1 24 oz jar of strained tomatoes
2 tbsp capers + 1 tsp caper juice
2 tbsp chopped greek olives (I used a mix from the WF olive bar)
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1.5 lbs monkfish (or other firm, white fish or shrimp), cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes
kale or spinach (fresh or frozen), optional
salt to taste
pepper to taste
chili powder (dash)
turmeric (optional – for added superfood power!)
ghee or oil
Directions:
Heat a pot to medium with ghee or oil to cover the bottom.
Add in the sliced onion and cook until sweated/translucent, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 mins)
Add in the sweet potatoes and stir every ~30 seconds for 2-3 mins
Add in the chicken stock and cover for a few mins while mincing your garlic.
Add in the minced garlic, cover and let cook for another ~5mins
Chop the scallions and add to the pot
Add in the jar of tomato puree and stir to combine
Add in the herbs, capers and onions and stir to combine
Add in salt, pepper and chili powder and turmeric (if using) to taste
Add in the fresh fish and submerge in the liquid. Cover and cook until fish is opaque and cooked through (about 5-7 mins)
Fold in a few handfuls of fresh or frozen spinach or kale for added nutrition
Taste and add more seasoning if needed.
Serving:
Scoop into bowls over whole grain pasta, quinoa or on its own.
Top with a sprinkle of fresh oregano and sliced scallions for garnish.
ENJOY!
