Similar to the Italian’s seafood stew, Cioppino, this Brazilian Seafood Stew (Moqueca de Peixe) is so easy and delicious, with just a hint of sweetness from the coconut milk. You can prepare this dish with just fish or with a combination of your favorite fish and shellfish.
To say that we love seafood is an understatement. Shellfish more than fish. I grew up in Texas and that means the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Shrimp. It isn’t just a slogan that everything is big in Texas. The shrimp is, too.
My husband loves seafood as much as I do, and we are always exploring new ways to enjoy these beauties. So finding this recipe for Brazilian Seafood Stew in an an old Cooking Light magazine was a real find.
The first time I tried this recipe was when I was a newlywed and I wanted to impress my new hubby. Boy, was he impressed! It was super easy to make (I didn’t let out that secret!) and his eyes popped when I presented him his bowl.
This is the recipe I turn to when we have a severe hankering for seafood, or when I want to impress some very special dinner guests. And I always get request to make it again.
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Why this recipe is so awesome
Cioppino is the Italian version of the seafood stew. Usually a combination of fresh fish, shrimp, clams and other seafood cooked with tomatoes, red wine, garlic, basil, oregano and parsley. Cioppino is served with spaghetti or some real hearty bread.
Moqueca de Peixe is a Brazilian seafood stew cooked with tomatoes, coconut milk, bell peppers, garlic and cilantro. The vegetables are pureed and provide a delicious base to any seafood you add.
After making this dish for over 10 years 20 years, my hubby’s eyes still pop and he still proclaims this to be the best Cioppino ever… Well, he gets the name wrong, but I will still take the compliment!
This is a wonderful meal to serve for a dinner party. You can dress it up or down. I love serving it in bowls with a loaf of hearty bread.
Ingredients you need
- Bell pepper: You want a sweet bell pepper so use red, yellow or orange varieties.
- Clam juice: This stew uses both clam juice and chicken broth for its stew base. The clam juice offers a seafood flavor but doesn’t make it too fishy.
- Coconut milk: What makes this dish different from the other seafood stews of the world is the addition of coconut milk. It helps cut down on the acidity and offers a touch of sweetness. I have substituted this with heavy whipping cream.
- Seafood: This stew is filled with whatever seafood you can find. But typically it includes shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, crab. I have added canned clams to the base for more meat.
- Fresh cilantro: The stew is garnished with fresh cilantro. You can use Italian parsley if you prefer.Green onions
- Onion
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Pantry staples: Chicken broth, canned diced tomatoes, xtra virgin olive oil, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper
Step-by-step directions
1. In a large bowl combine lime juice, salt, pepper, 2 crushed garlic cloves, shrimp, scallops and squid. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
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2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil. When oil has heated, add chopped onions, bell pepper, green onions, 3 crushed garlic cloves and bay leaf. Cook vegetables for about 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Increase heat to medium-high then add tomatoes, chopped cilantro, chicken broth and clam juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
4. If using a hand blender, puree vegetables in the pot until smooth. If using a blender, allow to cool to room temperature and purée in batches until smooth and return to pot.
5. Stir in coconut milk and cayenne pepper to vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Mix in marinated fish mixture, mussels and crab. Cover pot and cook 3-5 minutes or until seafood is done and mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened and serve.
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Brazilian Seafood Stew (Moqueca de Peixe)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lb large shrimp 21-25 count
- ½ lb scallops
- ½ lb squid
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ¾ cup minced green onions
- 7 garlic cloves minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 28 oz low sodium chicken broth
- 16 oz clam juice
- 1 cup light coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 mussels cleaned
- 1 crag leg
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine lemon juice, salt, pepper, 2 crushed garlic cloves, shrimp, scallops and squid. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 mins.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil
- When oil has heated, add chopped onions, bell pepper, green onions, 3 crushed garlic cloves and bay leaf.
- Cook vegetables for about 6 mins., stirring occasionally.
- Increase heat to medium-high then add tomatoes, chopped cilantro, chicken broth and clam juice.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 mins. Discard bay leaf.
- If using a hand blender, puree vegetables in the pot until smooth.
- If using a blender, allow to cool to room temperature and purée in batches until smooth and return to pot.
- Stir in coconut milk and cayenne pepper to vegetable mixture.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 3 mins. Mix in marinated fish mixture, mussels and crab.
- Cover pot and cook 3-5 minutes or until seafood is done and mussels have opened.
- Discard any mussels that have not opened and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
