Miss Pat’s Recipe: Boatman’s Stew

This is good on a cold day,
served over rice with crusty bread.

You might be asking yourself why a person who was born and lived all her life in the great Sonoran desert knows how to make anything calling for fish.  Well, due to the influence of a dear friend of Portuguese descent (Barbara Hackett) who was willing to share this recipe, I now make a dish called Boatman’s Stew.

Influence, however, goes in more than one direction.  The recipe has now been influenced by my southern roots from both my parent and by my southwestern upbringing.  The fish I prefer to use is catfish and the tomatoes are flavored with our beloved jalapeño peppers.  You will notice the original recipe was not without a little hot spice due to the crushed red peppers.  Please feel free to make your own adjustments.  Making it your own is part of the fun.

Original Boatman’s Stew

¾ tsp. salt

1 ½ lbs fish (cod or haddock)

2 large onions sliced

¼ cup olive oil

1 can (14 ½ oz) tomatoes, chopped

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons dry parsley or ½ bunch of fresh parsley

½ cup white wine

1 ½cups water

Brown oinions in olive oil.  All other ingredients, except fish and simmer 30 minutes.
Add fish and simmer til done.

Adapted Boatman’s Stew

1 ½ lbs catfish

2 yellow onions, sliced

¼ cup olive oil

¾ tsp salt

1 can (14 ½ oz) tomatoes diced with jalapeños

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

2 tablespoons dry parsley or ½ bunch fresh parsley

½ cup white wine

1 ½ cups water

¾ tsp crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

½ tsp sugar

Brown onions in olive oil.  All other ingredients, except fish and simmer 30 minutes.
Add fish and simmer til done.

This is good on a cold day, served over rice with crusty bread.  We don’t have very many cold days out this way so we just go ahead and eat it anyway.  Please enjoy!