Court Bouillon (Fish Stew from Guadeloupe and Martinique)

from Mark Bittman's Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking
via Sue Gilbert

serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped scallion (or more onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (more if desired)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned (do not drain)
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups any fish or chicken stock or water
one 3-pound red snapper, gutted, scaled, cleaned and cut into 4 or 8 pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds of cleaned snapper)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Make a roux by heating oil in large saucepan over medium heat; when oil is hot, add flour and stir until browned, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Add onion, scallions, garlic, and seasonings (reserve half of the parsley for garnish). Cook, stirring, until onions are soft. Add tomatoes and cook 10 minutes more. Add wine and stock and simmer 5 minutes. Add fish and poach over medium heat until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice, garnish with parsley and serve in bowls with crusty bread.

Bittman explains that this is the single-fish stew of Guadeloupe and Martinique as opposed to the basic fish simmering stock of New Orleans.