Brazilian seafood stew (moqueca de peixe)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 Serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 3 cups fresh shrimp stock
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounce) canned coconut milk
• Pinch of saffron
• 6 green onions, white and light green parts only, finely sliced
• 1 lb. grouper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• Juice of 1 lime plus a little more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 2 tablespoons dende oil
• 1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 limes, flesh cut into supremes and diced
• Cooked farofa or cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Shrimp Stock:

• 2 lb. shrimp shells
• 2 qts. water
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 bay leaf (fresh, if possible)
• Several springs of thyme
• Several sprigs of fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Salt to taste (depending on what you are using this for)

Farofa:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 onion
• 1 1/2 cups farofa flour

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Preparation

• Heat a large dutch oven over low heat and add the olive oil. Sweat the onion and peppers together for about 5 minutes, or until nicely softened.
• Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and chiles and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the shrimp stock, coconut milk and saffron and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender.
• Add the green onions and all the fish, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, stirring together gently twice during the cooking time. Add the lime juice, dende oil, and cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes more.
• Serve in large heated bowls, sprinkled with the diced limes. Serve with farofa or jasmine rice.
  
• Shrimp Stock:
  Rinse the shrimp shells and then place them is a large stockpot with all the ingredients.
• Farofa:
  Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the onions and sauté until tender. Add the flour and continue stirring until the mixture resembles couscous .

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