Catalan Fish Stew With Pimentón Mayonnaise

If you are thinking what I was thinking when I saw this recipe, you  are thinking mayonnaise in soup?! Well let me assure this is a recipe worth making.  It is really tasty! My son absolutely LOVED it.  So much so, my husband was getting annoyed with his slurping and shoveling!  I couldn't find Serrano ham, and while Prosciutto would be the more appropriate substitute, I had regular ham on hand, so I julienned some strips of it and threw that in.  Less Catalan but less waste for me. We had some of the mayonnaise left over, I think it would be delicious on sandwiches too. I think that the base could be prepared ahead of time, and just reheated then adding the raw fish and just do that part of the cooking at that time.  The grating of the tomatoes is a pretty ingenious way to get the tomatoes out of their skins without the annoying boiling and shocking.
Catalan Fish Stew With Pimentón Mayonnaise
1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes,halved crosswise
3 T  extra-virgin olive oil
1    large onion,thinly sliced
2    garlic cloves,minced
1 c  bottled clam broth
4    ounces sliced serrano ham cut into thin strips
1/3 c  pitted green olives,chopped
1 1/2 lb halibut fillet,cut into-2-inch chunks
Kosher salt
1/2 c  mayonnaise
1/2 t  sweet Pimentón de la Vera -(smoked Spanish paprika)
1. Using a box grater set in a bowl, carefully grate the cut sides
of the tomatoes, stopping when you reach the skin. You should have
about 2 cups of tomato pulp.
2. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add
the onion and half of the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring
frequently, until they are softened and just beginning to brown, about
6 minutes. Add the tomato pulp and cook over high heat until it is
thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the clam broth and boil until it is
reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the Serrano, olives and halibut and simmer over moderate heat,
stirring occasionally, until the fish is cooked through and the stew is
thick, about 5 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, using the back of a spoon, mash the
remaining garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Whisk in the
mayonnaise, pimentn and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Serve the fish stew in shallow bowls with a dollop of the pimentn
mayonnaise.
Make Ahead The smoked-paprika mayonnaise can be refrigerated for up to
2 days. Serve With Crusty bread.