Recipe Demonstrated By Rosanne Dileo of The Libertine Bar
Rosanne Dileo has been cooking at The Libertine Bar for about a year, following stints as a server and general manager at the beloved lower Greenville pub. As much as she liked front-of-house money, though, she says she prefers the relative calm of the kitchen (?).
Dileo was kind enough to show us how to make one of the restaurant's featured plates. Simon McDonald, a partner in the restaurant and bar, says the Fisherman's Stew began as a Soup of the Day, but became such a favorite that the restaurant decided to offer it as a daily item. It's a highly adaptable recipe, which makes it a great option for home cooked meals. Don't like or can't find one of the ingredients? Just leave it out, or substitute something comparable. Here is how you can make it at home.
Libertine Bar Fisherman's Stew (Serves 4)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups clam juice
4 2-oz. cod pieces
8 mussels
2 cups littleneck clams (about a dozen)
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped leek
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup cornmeal
5 or 6 dashes fish sauce (Squid brand)
Step 1
Sautee leeks and onions in oil with salt, pepper and garlic. Add white wine "when you don't want to cook the leeks and onions anymore."
Step 2
Add clam juice, fish sauce and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Dileo uses canned tomatoes, roughly chopped with ends removed, and also adds the tomato sauce to thicken the broth. If using fresh tomatoes, don't discard the seeds or juice, as they help thicken the soup.
Step 3
Add mussels and clams when soup is boiling.
Step 4
Bread cod pieces in cornmeal and sautee. Bass, tilapia or any white fish that cooks quickly will also work.
Step 5
When mussels and clams open, lower heat. Serve with bread and one piece of cod per bowl.
