José Andrés’s Red Snapper Stew

Step 1

Make the picada: In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring regularly to make sure they don’t burn, until starting to brown and release some oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat it for about 30 seconds, until hot, then add the bread and toast until golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.

Step 2

In a small mortar, crush the garlic with a pestle until it’s broken down into a paste. (Alternatively, use a mini food processor to finely chop the garlic.) Add the almonds and pound (or process) them together until the almonds are finely ground. Add the bread and continue to crush (process) until you have a finely ground mixture. Set aside until ready to use.

Step 3

Make the stew: Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the flesh of each tomato half over a small bowl to make a loose tomato sauce; discard the skins.

Step 4

In a heavy-bottomed pot or large pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and sizzling, about 30 seconds. Add the grated tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens a bit, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 5

Add the fish broth, wine, potatoes and pimentón and stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has reduced by about one-third, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce begins to reduce too quickly, cover the pot and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender.

Step 6

Taste, and season with salt if desired. Stir in the picada to incorporate. Add the fish and gently stir to cover with the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish is opaque and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, ladle into bowls and serve warm, with lightly toasted baguette slices on the side.