Having lived by the sea in the south of France, I ate-and was taught about-the amazing seafood soups and stews that are so popular in the region, of course, bouillabaisse being the grand dame of them all. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated and that fancy. This simple tomato-based seafood stew is what is eaten more regularly by the locals with simple shellfish or chunks of firm white fish to make it more affordable.
I like to cook the seafood separately in the garlic oil so that I can enhance the flavor-but more importantly-to regulate the exact cooking time of the delicate shellfish. You will enjoy the balance of the deep rich flavor of the stew combined with the delicacy of the seafood, just as the land meets the sea. (Clay 🍷)
Seafood Stew
Ingredients
Stew Preparation
- 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil Or Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
- 3 Stalks of Celery, finely chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloved, finely minced
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1 2 Ounce Can of Anchovies in oil reserve oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Cup Marsala Wine optional
- 1 14 Ounce Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 24 Ounces Seafood or Shrimp Stock
- 2 Teaspoons Balsalmic Vinegar
- 2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
Seafood Preparation
- 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 2 Large Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
- 12 Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on Can use thawed frozen shrimp if you don’t have fresh
- 8 Sea Scallops, halved Can used thawed frozen scallops. Just use a few more, as frozen are usually smaller.
Plating
- 2-4 Green Onions/Scallions cut on the bias, for garnish
- Fennel Fronds for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Stew
- Heat 1 Tbsp of Avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven until just shimmering. Add the onion and celery and sweat. Reduce the heat to medium so as not to brown the onions. Cook 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. You don’t want to brown the garlic, or it will turn slightly bitter. Stir in the thyme and oregano adding salt and pepper to taste. *I like to season in layers as you build the base. It really makes for a more complex end result. Cook for 1 minute.
- Pushing the vegetables to the side-(to find a nice hot spot in the bottom of the pot)-add the anchovy fillets, then add the oil from the can as well. The fillets will sizzle, and after about a minute will begin to break down. At this point, mash them up and incorporate them into the vegetables. Stir for another minute.
- Add the tomato paste and stir into the mixture. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes until the paste has had a chance to toast slightly, adding that umami flavor to the base. Stir well. At this point you should have a very nice thick base developed for your stew.
- Turn the heat up to high, add the Marsala wine and give it all a good stir to incorporate the vegetable base and the wine. Reduce the wine until almost dry but not quite, about 3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, stock, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point, tasting the stew will not give you the deep flavor that it will develop over the cooking time so make sure not to over season the mixture at this point. You will be able to adjust the seasoning towards the end of the cooking time. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom does not burn. If the simmer is too hard, move the pot to a smaller burner until a nice slow simmer is achieved. This way the risk of burning the tomatoes is lessened and will ensure a very elegant consistency. Before serving, adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Prepare the Seafood
- Just before the stew is ready to serve, heat 1 Tbsp of Avocado oil in a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and let the garlic fry slowly in the oil, tilting the pan to make sure the garlic is nicely submerged in the oil while it cooks. When the garlic just begins to brown, remove it to some paper towels and keep it for the final garnish.
- Placing the skillet back on the heat until the oil has returned to temperature. Increase the heat to high and add the shrimp and scallops, shaking the pan to loosen-but not turning the seafood. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip each piece of seafood, and turn off the heat letting it sit until plating.
Plating
- In warm, shallow bowls, spoon in 2 large ladles of the stew. In the center, pile a mixture of the shrimp and scallops, to get some height coming out of the bowl. Garnish with the reserved garlic chips and top with spring onion and a wisp of fennel fronds. Adding a drizzle of olive oil is always nice too.
Notes
NOTE: Marsala wine gives this stew a very rich deep flavor that is reminiscent of the seashores of southern Italy, Corsica, and Spain. If a lighter stew is more desirable, I will not be offended. Just substitute a half cup Dry Vermouth and a half cup Dry White Wine, or just one cup of Dry White Wine, for the Marsala wine. You can also omit the balsamic vinegar if you like, which adds to the richness in flavor.
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