Brazilian Fish Moqueca (Moqueca) — Bahia-Style Coconut Seafood Stew

• 700 gfirm white fish fillets (skinless cod, snapper, grouper, or halibut, cut into 5 cm chunks)
• 2large lime (juiced, yielding about 60 ml juice)
• 4 clovegarlic (finely grated)
• 8 gfine sea salt
• 1 tspblack pepper (freshly ground)
• 1yellow onion (about 220 g, thinly sliced)
• 1red bell pepper (about 180 g, thinly sliced)
• 1green bell pepper (about 180 g, thinly sliced)
• 3ripe tomatoes (about 450 g, sliced into thin rounds)
• 400 mlfull-fat coconut milk
• 120 mlfish stock (unsalted or low-sodium)
• 3 tbspdendê palm oil (Brazilian red palm oil)
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 1malagueta chile (seeded and minced, or use 1 small red chile)
• 1 bunchcilantro (leaves and tender stems chopped, about 35 g)
• 4scallions (thinly sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the fish chunks in a shallow nonreactive dish and add the lime juice, grated garlic, 8 g salt, and black pepper. Turn gently to coat every piece, then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

2. 2

   Warm the olive oil in a wide heavy pot or clay casserole over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until it softens but does not brown.

3. 3

   Layer half of the tomatoes, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and minced chile over the onions. Arrange the marinated fish on top in a single even layer, pouring in any lime-garlic marinade left in the dish.

4. 4

   Cover the fish with the remaining tomatoes and bell peppers, then pour the coconut milk and fish stock around the edges of the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, avoiding a hard boil so the fish stays tender.

5. 5

   Cover the pot and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is just opaque and flakes easily with light pressure. Do not stir vigorously; instead, tilt the pot occasionally to circulate the sauce without breaking the fish.

6. 6

   Drizzle the dendê palm oil over the surface and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to let its color and aroma bloom into the broth. Taste the sauce and add the remaining 2 g salt only if the stew needs a sharper finish.

7. 7

   Scatter the chopped cilantro and sliced scallions over the moqueca just before serving. Let the stew rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and the fish finishes gently in the residual warmth.