Fish Stew With Peppers, Almonds And Saffron - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon spanish smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
14 ounces Italian tomatoes (canned crushed)
1 1/2 cups water or 1 1/2 cups fish stock
1/4 teaspoon saffron thread (crumbled into 2 tablespoons of hot water)
1/4 cup roasted salted almond
1 dozen littleneck clams, thoroughly scrubbed
1 1/4 lbs monkfish, trimmed of silver skin, meat cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy casserole.
Add the onion, bell pepper strips and garlic and season with salt and black pepper.
Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the rosemary, paprika and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute.
Add the white wine and bring to a boil.
Simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, water and saffron water and bring to a boil.
Cover the casserole tightly and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes.
Finely grind the almonds in a food processor.
Stir the almonds into the stew and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
Add the clams, cover and cook until most of them open, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the fish and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf.
Transfer to bowls and serve.
Serve with crusty bread and a nice rich wine.