Saffron Fish Stew

I wanted to make a savory fish stew with whatever fish I could find but couldn't decide which flavor I wanted to go with. I also wanted to use saffron as I would typically do with bouillabaisse but I also wanted it to have a little kick like some Asian fish stews or just wanted it to taste very "herby".

Since I couldn't find a good-looking white fish in stores in a short amount of time, I used salmon, which made the flavor even richer. I didn't go out and buy many ingredients to make this dish.

My oldest likes to experiment in the kitchen from time to time so he had bought some saffron (the most expensive ingredient) already. I already had the other spices in our kitchen. We already had some frozen mussels in the freezer and also had some veggies.

My point is you can make a pretty decent fish stew without buying too many new ingredients and try to use your already purchased ingredients and spices in the kitchen. This is basically how bouillabaisse was invented anyways, right ;)

Here is how to make it:

1. In a medium saucepan boil the potatoes with a pinch of salt until you can pierce them easily with a fork over medium heat.
2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.
3. Add onions and cook for a minute then add garlic and cook for a minute.
4. Add chopped celery and carrots and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Add chili flakes and saffron, mix it a few times, and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add canned tomatoes and water, and bring it to a rapid boil then lower the heat to medium.
6. Add tomato paste and boil until vegetables are cooked. Add the cooked potatoes and stir. Start adding the chunks of salmon and give it a couple of stirs and then add defrosted shrimp and defrosted mussels.
7. Cover and bring it to a boil until the mussels open up and stir in the pesto at the end.

That's it. I served it to my family with a toasted butter garlic toast but it's not necessary.

Enjoy!