Seafood Moqueca ( Fish Stew)

Seafood Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew ) is composed of firm white fish, scallops, shrimp, coconut milk and Anatto. It’s as delicious as it looks.

How to serve Seafood Moqueca (Fish Stew)

We Brazilians like to serve our moqueca with white rice and pirão.

Pirão is a Fish broth made from Cassava flour and it’s a traditional dish from Angola and Brazil.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MOQUECA BAIANA AND CAPIXABA?

Moqueca Baiana ( Fish Stew) is a dish made in the Brazilian State of Bahia. On the contrary the Moqueca Capixaba is from Espirito Santo, Brazil. They are neighboring states however, their cuisines slightly differ.

Fish Stew from Bahia is made with special oil, the Dendê (red palm oil), it was brought by Africans to Brazil. Besides the oil, they also use coconut milk. In Espírito Santo annatto gives the moqueca a slightly lighter color and also flavor.

Both ingredients bring a very distinct and specific flavor to each moqueca. 

The two States cook Moqueca in clay pots and the seafood is assembled in layers. The difference between the states are the main ingredients that both use in their Moquecas.

To this day there is still a friendly rivalry between the States about which moqueca taste the best.  The truth is that both are fantastic and represent our gastronomic culture.  I’ve made both versions and they’re both delicious.

Seafood Moqueca ( Fish Stew)

Cassiascuisine

Moqueca is a flavorful fish stew with firm pieces of fish, shrimp, Scallop and Cocunut milk. It's as delicious as it looks.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Brazilian

Servings 4 People

Equipment

• Skillet, Saucepan

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound Seafood ( Firm fish, Shrimp, Scallops)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• vegetable oil for fry
• 2 tbsp olive oil for sauté
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper (cut into rings)
• 1 green bell pepper (cut into rings)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, parsley chopped
• 1 cup coconut milk or brazilian creme de leite (Nestlé)

Instructions

 

• Make a Garlic paste with 3 cloves minced garlic , salt, black pepper and cayenne.  
  
• In a bowl, place the shrimp peeled and deveined, scallops and the fish and marinate with the garlic paste for about 20 minutes. 
  
• Next dredge the seafood in flour  
  
• Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry lightly the floured seafood for about 2 minutes. Do not fully cook them. Remove to a warm plate. 
• Add little olive oil, one clove of mined garlic and sautée the onion and peppers until soft and translucent. About 3 minutes. 
  
• Next add tomato paste and cook a bit , pour the coconut milk, and stirring well ( if it is too thick add a little water or fish stock.

  Place the fish and scallops and cover. Simmer for about 4 minutes. Finally add the shrimp and cook for more 1 minutes. Taste for seasoning. 
  
• Once ready to serve, Sprinkle cilantro and parsley. Serve with rice and squeeze of lime.
  

Notes

• Once you cover the pot and lower the heat, leave it alone don’t stir the Fish Stew to avoid the fish from falling apart.

• I like to floured and seared my seafood a little it helps the fish not fall apart while it simmering.  If you cook it too long you can end up with shredded fish and rubbery shrimp.
• You can add more liquid if it is too thick or a little cornstarch if the consistency is too liquid. 

 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Brazilian Moqueca Baiana Recipe

 

The Best Seafood Paella Recipe

 

 

Keyword brazilian moqueca, coconut milk, fish, Moqueca,, recipe, seafood, stew