Greek fish stew/soup

I make this quick tasty stew when frozen fish is on special at the supermarket.  It needs fillet of fish and my greek man, like most, will never fillet his fish and prefers not to eat it that way either.  All the taste is in the head, skin and bones they say.  It has to be grilled whole and then dissected at the table.  

This time I used frozen squid as well.  I know it is sinful for a fisherman to eat frozen fish but sometimes it is just easier.  If you can get fresh fish fillets then please use them.  Usually I add NZ green lip mussels on the half shell and prawns.  We don't get fresh mussels around here. Octopus is a tasty addition too.

When we lived on the island of Salamina and the girls were young we used to dive for mussels.  Salamina, where the main Naval Base is sited, it known for its mussels.  

K likes the whole combo.  It has lots of mediterranean flavour, wine, garlic and fresh herbs.  The original recipe I found on the net and altered it a little for greek conditions.  It is/was called a stew but with the tomato  is more of a soup.  All you need is lots of bread with a crust and a bite.  Fresh, fluffy supermarket bread is just no good for dunking and mopping.

Time - only about half an hour
Calories - not too many if you have a light hand when adding the oil

Ingredients -
- olive oil for browning the onion
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- bay leaf
- fresh (or dried) oregano, rosemary (chopped) and thyme
- chopped parsley
- a stock cube
- a large glass of white unresinated wine
- fish fillets
- any sort of shellfish you can find 
- prawns (shrimps)
- octopus cut into small pieces
- squid chopped small or in rings
- 2 or 3 fresh chopped tomatoes (or a tin)
- salt and some sort of red hot pepper or hot sauce

Brown the onion and garlic in oil, pouring in the wine at the end of the browning. Add the tomatoes, stock cube, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary (or whatever herbs you have on hand and prefer) and a mug of water.

This is the sauce.  Add the squid if you are using it as this needs longer cooking and the octopus if it is raw.  If cooked you can add at the end.  

Stew gently for about 15 minutes.  Add more water if it is getting dry.  Think juicy soup.  Season with salt and pepper. Next  the fish fillets go in.  Place them on top so they don't break up.  After about 10 minutes add the prawns, mussels and other shellfish and cook gently about 5 minutes.  Voila.  It is ready to eat.

Kali orexi