Breton fish stew with herb tartine (La Cotriade)

La Cotriade is a specialty of Brittany and is a fish stew made with a variety of seafood and potatoes. Use whatever fish is local and fresh.

• serves

  2-4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 40 g unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, cut into 2 cm dice
• 2 brown onions, cut into 2 cm dice
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm slices
• ½ tsp curry powder
• 60 ml (¼ cup) cider
• 300 g monkfish, bone in or blue eye trevalla cutlet
• 750 ml (3 cups) fish stock
• 200 g green lobster tail, shell on and claws
• 100 g merlote fillets, or flat head fillets
• 150 g pippies or vongole
• Bronze fennel, to garnish

Herb tartine

• 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
• 250 ml (1 cup) fish stock
• ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
• ⅓ cup finely chopped chives
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 lemon, zested
• Sea salt, to taste
• 6 baguette croutons, toasted

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan with lid over medium – high heat. Add the leeks, onion, garlic and herbs and stir for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the potato and stir for another 2-3 minutes, then add the curry powder and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant.
   
2. Add the cider and simmer until almost completely reduced. Add the fish and 375 ml (1½ cups) fish stock, cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes.
   
3. Add the lobster and 185 ml (¾ cup) of the remaining stock. Cover and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add the hake, pippies and remaining stock, cover and cook for 3 minutes or until the pippies have just opened, the fish is just cooked and the liquid is slightly reduced.
   
4. Meanwhile, for the herb tartine, place the potato and fish stock in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until completely soft. Drain any remaining stock, then using a fork, coarsely crush the potatoes. Add the herbs and mix again. Add the mustard and oil and mix to emulsify. Add the lemon zest and season with salt. Spoon the potato mix over croutons.
   
5. To serve, place all the seafood into a large serving bowl. Pour over the liquid, garnish with bronze fennel and the herb tartine.

Photography by Blink TV. Styling by Blink TV. Food preparation by Guillaume Brahimi.

From Normandy to the Spanish border, follow Guillaume Brahimi along the French Atlantic at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.