Sancocho – Fish and Potato Stew

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min
recipeNotes: From Jose’ Andres “”Made in Spain””

Ingredients
For the mojo sauce

3 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp cayenne (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon sweet pimenton (spanish smoked paprika)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon spanish extra-virgin olive oil

For the stew

1 bay leaf
1 small spanish onion, peeled and quartered
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2- inch strips
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 fennel bulb – sliced in quarters (optional)
sea salt to taste
4 6-ounce sea bass fillets

Directions
Prepare the sauce: Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, guindilla pepper, pimenton, and salt into a paste, Keep turning the mortar clockwise while mashing and scrape down the paste from the sides of the mortar with the pestle, Slowly pour in the olive oil and continue mashing until the oil is well incorporated, then set the sauce aside,
Prepare the stew: Put the bay leaf, onion, bell pepper, parsley, potatoes, and sweet potatoes into a medium saucepan, add 4 cups of water, and bring to a boil over high heat, Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until tender, about 20 minutes, Stir 1 teaspoon of the cooking liquid into the sauce in the mortar, Season to taste with more salt.
Season the sea bass with salt and add the fillets to the pan. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until the fillets are cooked through. Don’t let the liquid come to a boil once the fish is added.
The stew should cook low and slow so the fish doesn’t break apart in the broth. Transfer the fillets to serving bowls and ladle several ounces of broth over each. Place some potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, parsley, and red pepper around the fillets and top the fillets with a spoonful of the mojo sauce.