Recipe of the month: Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)

Sunday, July 26th, 2026

I use my InstantPot for this recipe, however it can also be prepared on the stovetop. This is traditionally a spicy recipe but is easily adapted for folks that are not fond of hot spices. This is Linda's version. Sometimes I use random veggies and include a can of black beans.

Ingredients
Stew Base:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup seafood broth or fish broth
3/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk (I use the whole can because we prefer a thinner consistency)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 Teaspoon table salt
1/2 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Teaspoon ground cayenne

For Finishing:
1.5 pounds fresh or thawed rockfish, ling-cod, halibut or other white fish
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions:
Pressure Cook: add all the stew base ingredients to a pressure cooker and stir well until well-mixed. Secure and seal the lid and cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. During cooking, proceed to the next step to prepare the fish.

Preparing the fish: remove any skin and bones from the fish and pat dry. Cut into roughly 1 inch pieces, and set aside.

Release Pressure: after pressure cooking has completed, naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.

Thicken the stew: Uncover and turn on saute mode on the pressure cooker for medium heat to bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes to thicken into stew-like consistency, stirring frequently.

Note: I usually skip the 10 minute part as we pour the stew over rice and prefer a thinner consistency.

Finish & Serve: Stir in the fish until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off saute mode and stir in coconut oil and lime juice until combined. Serve in bowls (we serve over rice) and top with chopped cilantro or parsley.

Notes:
Mark and I like the stew over rice.
If you'd prefer a less spicy stew, reduce the amount of cayenne or eliminate completely.