Prep 15 min cook 20 min
Fish In Crazy Water is a quick, elegant and truly foolproof recipe. The fish gently poaches in a tomato broth that is light and flavorful.
Neapolitans are known for being noisy, theatrical, food-loving and passionate. So it is no surprise that they created a dish called “Pesce all’acqua pazza” that translates to “fish in crazy water”.
The dish is actually very elegant and what is really crazy is how simple it is to make and only takes about 35 minutes to prep and cook.
It works with any fillets of firm white fish like cod, halibut, bass or snapper. The fish is poached in the “crazy water”, which is a light, delicious tomato broth flavored with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs ready to be mopped up with crusty ciabatta bread.
The recipe is quite flexible. You can add celery, fresh fennel and spring onions to the poaching liquid but I prefer a simple tomato broth that does not overpower the delicate flavor of the fish. Serve it with slices of grilled ciabatta or baguette bread and for a little more substance, add some cooked farro as a side dish.
You can quickly make the broth ahead of time then poach the fish for about 5 minutes just before serving it.
How’s that for crazy easy.
For a chicken version of this recipe, check out Poached Chicken in Crazy Water.
Fish In Crazy Water
by
Derek Farwagi
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil- divided
- 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp fresh, whole oregano leaves and a little extra for garnish.
- pinch red chili flakes
- 1 cup ripe cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (the riper and softer the better)
- ½ cup white wine or dry vermouth (optional)
- 1 cup water
- 12-16 oz cod fillet cut in half (halibut or rock fish filets also work) - cooking time may vary with fish and its thickness.
- salt to tase
- For the garnish lemon wedges and oregano leaves
Instructions
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the sliced garlic to a cold 8” inch pan and heat on medium fire. as soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, remove from heat and add chili flakes. (keep the flame or element on).
- Over the sink, add the halved cherry tomatoes. They might splatter a little when they hit the hot oil. Once they have settled down, put them back on the fire. Let them blister and release their liquid - about 2 minutes.
- Add the water, wine, oregano, and thyme, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the broth has reduced and has a tomato taste. Press down on some of the tomatoes with a wooden spoon to help break them down to form a chunky broth. Taste and season with salt as needed.
- Place the cod fillets skin side down into the broth mixture, (add a little water if you think there is not enough broth). Cover with lid or foil and simmer for about 3 minutes a side until the cod is flaky. (The time will vary depending on which fish you use).
- To serve, place spoonfuls of the tomato mixture in the base of a shallow bowl and top with a cod fillet. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped oregano and lemon wedges and serve with slices of grilled ciabatta or baguette bread.
- For more substance, serve a little cooked farro on the side.
Nutrition
Marina
Fantastic! Easy, quick, tasty and pretty presentation. Oh, and one more thing, the ingredients are always in my larder except & fridge.
Derek Farwagi
Thank you Marina. Glad you enjoyed it.