Easiest Seafood Stew
This is my last recipe post from the January Cookbook of the Month, Time for Dinner. Even though we’re a few days into February, I couldn’t leave this out (and I got started a little late on the Cookbook of the Month thing in January). Anyway, if you’re a seafood lover like me, this recipe is for you.
When we lived in Grand Rapids, E and I went out to dinner every Valentine’s Day weekend to an Italian restaurant named Mangiamo. It’s in a Victorian mansion in the historic district, and it’s utterly charming. The downstairs floor plan remains unchanged, so there are multiple dining rooms with tall ceilings and windows, lovely pictures on the walls, and polished hardwood floors lined with old-fashioned carpet rugs. They always tucked us into a cozy little table near a window or in a corner. It’s very romantic, and the food is delectable.
I almost always ordered the seafood linguine, which included shrimp, white fish, calamari, scallops, and mussels. The pasta and seafood swam in a lovely white wine and tomato broth that was rich with flavor and could be spooned up like a soup.
This seafood stew reminds me greatly of that dish at Mangiamo, and yet it was so easy to make, I almost couldn’t believe it.
The recipe in Time for Dinner just calls for a mild white fish, like Tilapia, but I wanted it to be more than just a fish stew. So I used one Tilapia filet, cut into chunks, along with a quarter pound each of calamari, shrimp, and bay scallops. I’d like to try adding mussels, but I’ll probably save those for a special weekend dinner.
If you can, use fresh seafood (although you’ll likely have to peel and de-vein your own shrimp). If not, frozen is okay, especially since it will all be cooked in a flavorful broth. Trader Joe’s sells a frozen seafood blend of shrimp, calamari rings (no tentacles), and scallops that is just the right amount for this; all you need to do is add some fish to the mix.
This is among the easiest of dinners – from start to finish, I don’t think it even took 30 minutes. It’s also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Serve as a soup, or over a bed of cooked linguine. With a green salad and some crusty bread alongside, you can’t go wrong.
Finally, don’t worry too much about this meal not being a kid-pleaser. You just might be surprised. I had a Plan B meal all set for L, and she shocked me by gobbling up two bowls and asking for more. The next day, she ate all the leftovers! I’ll definitely be making this again soon just because of that.
Easiest Seafood Stew
Adapted from Time for Dinner by Pilar Guzmán, Jenny Rosenstrach, and Alanna Stang
1 Tilapia filet (or other mild white fish)
3/4 to 1 pound other seafood of your choice (I use a mixture of shrimp, calamari, and bay scallops)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
2/3 cup dry or semi-dry white wine or sherry
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes in their juices
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Wash and prep the seafood, cutting the fish into 1-inch pieces and peeling and de-veining shrimp if needed.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the thyme and cook another minute or two.
Add the wine, and let it come to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes or so, to allow the onions to absorb some of the wine.
Add the diced tomatoes and juices, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat until the tomatoes are just simmering, and add the chicken stock. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so, to allow the flavors to marry.
Add the seafood, and cook until just done. Shrimp should become opaque and the fish should be flaky. This takes as little as 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, and taste, adding more if needed.
Serve in bowls on its own or over a bed of cooked linguine, with a green salad and some crusty bread on the side.
Serves 4-6.
Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!
Cheers,
