Ellie, Dana, and Esther came over for dinner last night, so I made Brazilian fish stew, slightly adapted from a recipe in Sunset (January 2000): the original recipe called for shrimp, but they keep kosher, so I used potatoes instead. They brought salad, bread, wine, and dessert.

Brazilian Fish Stew

2 onions (6 ounces each)

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

5 to 7 tablespoons minced jalapeño chiles

3 tablespoons minced ginger

4 cups chicken broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes

1/4 cup sweetened shredded dried coconut

3 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 pound boned skinned halibut, cut into 1 inch chunks

1/2 pound boned skinned salmon, cut into 1 inch chunks

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

Peel onions and garlic, mince. Add oil to a 5- to 6-quart nonstick pan over high heat, and saute onions, garlic, jalapeños, and ginger until onions are limp, about 10 minutes.

Stir in broth, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, coconut, peanut butter. Bring to a simmer, add the potatoes, and cook until done (maybe 20 minutes?)

Stir fish into stew, cover pan, and cook until fish is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in cilantro and add salt and pepper to taste.