Brown Soda Bread with Fish Stew

Don't tell anyone how unbelievably easy this is to make, just let them continue to think you kitchen goddess or god. Lightly toasted and buttered...Nom! Don't worry about lining the ends of the pan with parchment. Just make a sling that will span the width of the pan and end up lining the long sides and bottom. Makes it easy to take out of the pan. Visit your grocery store's bulk section for the wheat germ if you don't usually keep it on hand.

I'm also reposting the fish stew I made to go with it that happens to fall into the same category; super easy and muy delicioso. Tonight's stew was made with wild Alaskan cod.

Brown Soda Bread:
(Mar. 2010 issue Cooking Light)

11.25 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann's)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon wheat germ (I used toasted wheat germ)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used fine sea salt, and next time I'd add a bit more since we use unsalted butter)
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325°.

Coat a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.

Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flours and next 6 ingredients (through salt). Combine buttermilk and egg; add to flour mixture. Stir just until combined.

Spoon the mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (I think I baked for about 10 minutes extra before the pick came out cleanly, but check at an hour and five). Invert bread onto a wire rack; remove parchment; cool completely then slice away.

Fish Stew:
(Simply Recipes)

2-3 Tbsp olive oil (original recipe calls for 6)
1 cup of chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
~1 cup of fresh chopped tomato (I use 2 medium-large sized tomatoes)
2 tsp of tomato paste.
8 oz bottle of clam juice (or shellfish stock)
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 lb fish fillets (use halibut, cod, sole, red snapper, sea bass), cut into 2-inch pieces
Touch of Tabasco, a couple sprigs of fresh thyme, black pepper
Salt

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté 4 minutes. Add parsley and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato, tomato paste and cook 2 minutes longer.

Add clam juice, dry white wine, and fish (and fresh thyme sprigs if using) and simmer until fish is cooked through, less than 10 minutes. Add seasoning. Salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve. I drizzled a little more olive oil on top of each of our bowls.

Serves 3-4.