Sicilian-style fish and couscous
Fresh seafood simmered in wine, tomatoes and herbs, served on top of aromatic couscous. Perfect for a summer dinner party.
Ingredients
For the couscous
- 200g/7oz couscous
- pinch saffron
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 1 litre/1¾ pints hot fish stock
- 4 tbsp olive oil
For the fish
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ fennel bulb, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 200ml/7fl oz white wine
- 200ml/7fl oz Marsala wine
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1kg/2lb 4oz mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1kg/2lb 4oz clams, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 bay leaves
- small bunch fresh thyme
- 1 whole sea bass (about 700g–1kg/1lb 9oz–2lb 4oz), cut into steaks through the bone
- 3 medium squid
- small bunch fresh dill, chopped
- olive oil
To garnish
Method
For the couscous, put all the ingredients except the stock and oil in a large bowl. Pour over the hot stock, cover and set aside at room temperature.
Put a large frying pan over a low heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the onion, fennel and celery, then fry for 15 minutes until soft. Add the chilli flakes, garlic and deglaze with the Marsala wine and reduce by half. Add the tinned tomatoes.
Discard any mussels and clams with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped. Heat a large saucepan with a lid, over medium heat and add the clams and mussels, white wine, the bay leaf and thyme. Once all opened, strain and keep the liquid. Discard any mussels and clams that remain closed.
Pick the meat from the shells of the mussels and clams.
Add the cooking liquid from the shellfish, with the seabass steaks to the tomato sauce. Stir the squid and dill through, just before serving.
Combine all the garnish ingredients in a bowl. Add the olive oil to the couscous and fluff-up with a fork. Divide the couscous between serving plates and spoon the fish stew on top. Garnish with the nuts and parsley mix.
