Seafood Essentials Fish Stew Base Recipes

FISH SOUP/STEW WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• If necessary, thaw and/or skin fish. Then dice into 1/2-1 inch pieces. Set aside.
• In a dutch oven or very large skillet, fry bacon in heated oil until lightly browned.
• Add onion, bell peppers and celery, and fry until softened.
• Add water, potatoes, seasonings and fish.
• Cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• If your fish will cook very quickly, you can wait to add it with the tomato juice.
• Add tomato juice and heat through.

CREAMY SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and celery until soft but not coloured, about 10 mins. Throw in the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the wine and simmer on a high heat until most has disappeared.
• Pour in the stock and cornflour mix and simmer for 5-10 mins, stirring often until thickened. Season, then add the seafood and most of the dill. Simmer for a few mins until piping hot, then stir in the crème fraîche.
• Meanwhile, cook the garlic bread following pack instructions. Divide the stew into warm bowls and scatter with the remaining dill. Serve with garlic bread for dipping into the stew.

SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the onion, red pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine or broth, oregano, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. , Add the clams, shrimp and scallops. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are opaque.

SEAFOOD ESSENTIALS: FISH STEW BASE

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. When I make shrimp, I remove the shells and place them in a freezer bag for future use. In a recipe like this, I take them out of the freezer, wrap them in some cheesecloth, and place them in the liquid, while it is simmering. When finished, I remove them, and discard. It gives this sauce a nice seafood essence.
• 3. The seafood seasoning is important to giving this base its distinctive flavor. Old Bay is one that I like, but for this recipe I used a homemade seasoning: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/seasoning-mix/spice-essentials-savory-seafood-seasoning.html
• 4. In the first steps, you add the butter and oil to a pot, and cook the onions, and shallots. If you want to give this base another level of flavor, do not use the butter and oil; instead, fry up some chopped bacon, then remove the bacon, and sauté the onions, and shallots in the bacon grease. When the fish stew is finished, sprinkle the bacon bits on top... So yummy.
• 5. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• 6. Add the butter and grapeseed oil to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
• 7. When the foaming subsides, add the shallot, and onions, then, cook until the onions begin to soften, about 4 - 5 minutes.
• 8. Chef's Note: We do not want the onions, to burn, or even brown, just let them slowly cook in the butter and oil, until they soften, and give up some of their liquid.
• 9. Add the minced garlic and celery, then cook, about 60 seconds.
• 10. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS, and bring up to a simmer.
• 11. If you are using the shrimp shells, tie them up in some cheesecloth and add to the simmering liquid.
• 12. While the broth is simmering add a pinch or two of salt and pepper, to taste.
• 13. Keep the pot at a light simmer, partially covered, and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes.
• 14. At the end of the cooking process, remove the shrimp shells, if using, and bay leaves.
• 15. Chef's Note: For thinner soup, purée ingredients in a blender and return to pot. For chunkier soup, leave as-is and continue.
• 16. If you are making this base ahead of time, do not add the butter, or cilantro, but allow it to come to room temperature, then store it in the fridge for a day or two, or put it into containers, and store in the freezer for several months.
• 17. When you are ready to use the base, bring it up to a boil, and then lower to a simmer.
• 18. Cube the butter, and then add a few cubes at a time, and stir until melted, then add more cubes until all the butter is incorporated into the liquid.
• 19. Add the seafood (shrimp, scallops, white fish, etc.), and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• 20. Add the lemon juice, and stir in the chopped cilantro.
• 21. PLATE/PRESENT
• 22. Ladle into bowls, and serve with some nice crusty bread. Enjoy.
• 23. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions, fennel, carrots and leeks with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the water, wine and tomatoes and stir in the olives and orange peel. Season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Increase the heat to medium and add the clams and mussels. Cover the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Season the shrimp and squid with salt and pepper then add them to the pot. Put the lid back on and cook for another 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir and continue to cook in 2-minute increments until all the seafood is cooked through and the clams and mussels have opened up, about 4 more minutes. Remove the orange peels and discard.
• To serve, ladle into bowls, being sure to get an even mix of seafood. Sprinkle some parsley and mint on top and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately with crusty grilled bread! (If you like a little heat add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.)

FISHERMAN'S SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley, crushed red pepper, thyme, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cream.
• Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a separate pot. Add the cod, mahi-mahi, shrimp and scallops and cook until cooked through and no longer translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and add to the stew.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER BASE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot. Add onions and garlic. Sweat until soft. Add potatoes and continue to sweat for another 3 minutes. Add white wine and allow to vaporize a little. Add fish stock. Cook for 30 minutes. Buzz the soup and strain through sieve. Return soup to boil and add cream. Adjust seasoning with lemon, salt & pepper. Cool and store chilled, labeled and dated.

BULLINADA (CATALAN FISH STEW WITH AIOLI)

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onions, stirring occasionally, and cook until they begin to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly golden, 1 minute.
• Stir in saffron, and pour in fish stock and wine. Add potatoes, fennel seeds, orange peel, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
• Season fish with salt and pepper. Remove orange peels from soup and add fish. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until fish is opaque and flaky, 4 to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Using a metal spatula or knife, break the fish into chunks.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, remaining garlic and Aleppo pepper. Slowly stir in a ladle of hot stock into mayonnaise mixture. Gently stir mayonnaise mixture into simmering soup. Heat through, without reaching a boil (the mayonnaise will curdle). Stir in parsley and taste, adding more salt if you'd like. When serving, garnish with more parsley and Aleppo.

MONKFISH, MUSSEL AND PRAWN STEW WITH CHAR-GRILLED SOURDOUGH (CIOPPINO)

Steps:

• Remove the heads and shells from the prawns but leave the last tail segment of the shell in place. Simmer the heads and shells in the stock or water for 20 minutes, then strain and discard them. Set the stock aside and reserve the prawn meat to add to the stew later. Bring the vinegar and sugar to the boil in a small pan and reduce to a couple of teaspoons. Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, add the garlic, onion, celery and green pepper and sweat for 6-8 minutes. Add the white wine, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, tomatoes, then the fish stock and the vinegar reduction. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding the oregano for the last 5. You can make this base in advance if you like. To finish, bring the stew base to the boil. Add the reserved raw prawns, the monkfish and mussels, put a lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Toast the sourdough, then singe the slices slightly on a gas flame. Rub the toast with the garlic and sprinkle with olive oil. To serve, place a slice of the toast in each bowl, ladle in some stew and sprinkle with parsley.