Brodet (Croatian Fisherman's Stew)

About This Recipe

Brodet (or brudet) is the quintessential fisherman's dish of the Adriatic coast — a robust, deeply flavored stew made from whatever fish the day's catch provided. There are no firm rules about which fish to use; the tradition calls for at least three different varieties for complexity, often including scorpionfish, eel, sea bass, or monkfish. The stew is cooked in a clay pot or heavy pan with tomatoes, white wine, garlic, and a generous pour of olive oil, then left to simmer undisturbed without stirring — agitation is said to make the fish mushy. Served over creamy white polenta, it is elemental and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.2 kgmixed fish (e.g. monkfish, sea bass, scorpionfish), cleaned and cut
• 400 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 2 mediumonions, thinly sliced
• 5 clovesgarlic, minced
• 150 mldry white wine
• 80 mlextra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 1/2 tsphot paprika or chili flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepperto taste
• 3 tbspflat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 400 gpolenta (coarse cornmeal), to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the base

   In a wide heavy pot or clay dish, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions until golden and very soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

2. 2

   Add tomatoes and spices

   Stir in crushed tomatoes, both paprikas, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

3. 3

   Layer the fish

   Season fish pieces with salt. Arrange them in a single layer over the sauce without stirring. Pour white wine and vinegar over the fish.

4. 4

   Simmer without stirring

   Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes. Do NOT stir at any point — gently shake the pot if needed to prevent sticking.

5. 5

   Cook the polenta

   While fish simmers, cook polenta according to package instructions in salted water until thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Season generously with salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

6. 6

   Serve

   Remove bay leaves. Scatter parsley over the stew. Serve immediately over polenta in wide bowls, with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Variations

• •

  Eel brodet (jegulja na brudet) is a classic Dalmatian variation with an intensely rich sauce.

• •

  Some cooks add a handful of mussels or clams in the last 5 minutes for extra seafood depth.

Storage

Refrigerate for 1 day. Reheat very gently without boiling to keep fish intact.

Frequently Asked Questions