We made this Seafood Stew about two months ago and the Chef thought it was time to make it again for his birthday. As you will see in the post below we started out by taking photos then I quickly realized all these photos have to be unloaded to share so we whipped out the camera and 4 videos later we have the instructions for creating the Stew. The Stew is very easy to make if you prep your ingredients first like we did. Serve with a fresh loaf of good quality bread. Seafood Stew Video at the bottom.
Ingredients
1 Fennel Bulb
1 leek
3 tbs Olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
20 saffron threads
1 1/2 cup white wine
1 8oz. bottle clam juice
1/2 pound Andouille Sausage
1 (14oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 cups stock from Steamed Mussels
1 pound mussels
1 pound grouper
1 pound large shrimp
1 tablespoon fresh basil as garnish
Instructions
Recommend the preparation of each item before moving on with the recipe it makes it easier. Start by cutting your fennel.
Cut the top and the bottom of the fennel like shown to the left.
Cut the fennel in half from end to end.
Set the fennel on the flat side and cut it but DON’T cut all the way through.
Cut completely down and 1/2 inch apart.
Then rotate and cut into half inch dice.
Washing and Cutting a Leek Watch Video Here
Washing the Mussels Watch Video Here
Deveining Shrimp Watch Video Here
Cutting the Fish Watch Video Here
Instructions
We recommend the preparation of each item before moving on with the recipe it makes it easier. So start by dicing the fennel, cut the leeks, devein the shrimp, wash the mussels, cut the fish into bite size pieces and cut the Andouille sausage.
Put the olive oil in the stockpot and cook the shells until the turn pink this renders out a lot of the flavor from the shells. Remove the shrimp shells and save them for later. Add the sausage turn the heat to medium; brown the sausage helps add flavor to the stew. Turn the temperature down to just below medium. Add fennel and stir; cook to a light brown about 2-3 minutes then add the leek and stir. Add 1/8-teaspoon ground black pepper and stir. Sauté for about 5 more minutes then add your garlic cloves and red pepper flakes stir until fragrant about 30 seconds.
Add mussel stock (white wine, mussel juices, green onion, red pepper flakes, garlic and olive oil) and a bottle of clam juice, and tomatoes. Place the shrimp shells in cheesecloth and make a pouch and add to the pot with about 30 strands of saffron. Stir then let simmer about and hour. The stock has reduced a little and its time to remove the pouch; squeeze with tongs and get the juice out and discard.
Add the mussels stir, add shrimp stir gently, add the fish (do not stir leave on the top) turn the heat up to about medium. Place a lid on the pot cook for about 5-7 minutes the mussels will start to open and the fish will turn white. Gently scoop up the stew and serve. We garnished the stew with fresh basil.
By all means feel free to add or substitute any fresh seafood that you have access too!
What kind of seafood might you add to this Seafood Stew Recipe?
