The first whiff of spring heightens my appetite for fish and shellfish. It’s a fantastic time of year to explore what our native shores have to offer and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy them than in a seafood stew. Fish and shellfish stews are much lighter than the meat-feast versions of winter, and can be a lot quicker to make. However, what you must bear in mind is that, unlike meat stews, where the flesh starts off tough and then softens during a long, slow simmer, fish runs the risk of turning dry and chewy and shellfish becomes rubbery if cooked for too long.

One way to avoid overcooking the fish or shellfish is by cooking them separately from the stew, or adding them to the liquid at the last minute. The bouillabaisse here has been made according to this principle. Pollack fillets are simmered with the soup ingredients to add an intense fish flavour to the base, before everything is puréed and passed through a sieve. When the soup is back to simmering point, shellfish and fresh fish fillets are poached gently in the liquid and the stew is served immediately.

Another method for adding lots of flavour is by using the steaming juices released from shellfish, but do check for grit and taste first – if you haven’t rinsed the shellfish thoroughly beforehand, the juices may be too salty to use. In the seafood ragoût recipe, mussel and clam juices are reduced with chicken stock, then simmered with plum tomatoes before adding a mixture of cooked mussels, clams, squid and prawns to warm through. Also try adding the juices to a creamy velouté sauce to serve with fish, with the clams and mussels scattered over.

I also like stews with a bit of kick, as in the Bengali fish stew here, but it’s essential to choose fish or shellfish with the correct flavour and texture for it to work. With their naturally sweet-tasting flesh, most shellfish can cope with aromatic herbs and spices, but fish requires more consideration. Flat fish, such as sole and plaice, should be avoided as they are too delicate and will be overwhelmed by the stronger flavours. Chunky, firm, more robust fish, such as monkfish, huss and mahi-mahi, are ideal and will not flake apart in the stew, giving you time to really bring out the flavour of spices.

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