Ligurian Fish Stew

Due to several life circumstances, involving a little terror of a puppy, a sick husband, and a trip to Costa Rica, I never got around to making those apricot cookies. Instead, my first attempt at a Giada recipe was to make her Ligurian Fish Stew. Now, for those of you who know me, you will know that fish stew would be probably last on my list of things that I would ever want to make. I have never been much of a fish fan because it's, well, so fishy. And spreading that fishiness around in a stew? No thank you. But Evie e-mailed and told me that she was making this recipe and I should too. So I figured, might as well get it over with.

The stew started out pretty tame- potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, olive oil. But from there you add white wine, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, white fish (I used orange roughy). Now I have never cooked with wine before and I always thought that I HATED wine in things. Just hated it. But, just like all strong, baseless convictions, this one fell apart. The wine added just the right.. something.. to balance out the fishy-ness. And the red pepper flakes made it spicy. Under the date that I wrote in the margin of the cookbook, I also added this little note: Changed my opinion of fish stew!

So, fish stew, you have my official apology. I am sorry I hated you for so long.