Food memories and cooking inspiration are my favorite vacation souvenirs! Gregada is a simple fish and potato soup that I enjoyed at a tiny, beach-side restaurant during my recent trip to Croatia. Enjoy it at home, without the airfare.
Ingredients
⅓ c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium White Onion, thinly sliced
4 medium (about 1½#) Yellow Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves Garlic (left whole and unpeeled)
½ c. Grape Tomatoes, halved
2 whole (about 2 #) Mediterranean Sea Bass, cleaned, scaled, and cut crosswise into halves
about ½ bottle Dry White Wine
2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
1 Dried Bay Leaf
1 small bunch Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot with lid or Dutch oven. Add the sliced onions and sweat down for 1-2 minutes.
Add the fish, potatoes, garlic, and tomatoes and season well with salt. Add white wine to cover and tuck in the rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and the fish is cooked through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don't stir, as you will likely break up the potatoes and fish, just shake the pot periodically to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Allow the soup to rest, covered, for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to further meld. Remove the rosemary stem and bay leaf. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed, and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle on the chopped parsley. Bring the pot to the table and serve family-style with crusty bread and additional olive oil, if desired.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/hvarska-gregada-croatian-fish-potato-stew/