It’s springtime, and I am thinking about brighter flavors to go along with the longer days. A favorite dish that takes little time with big results is this seafood stew. Always a hit with any size crowd, it features shrimp and scallops bathed in a Mediterranean-style broth fragrant with fennel and orange.
You’ll find many of the ingredients for this dish come straight from your pantry. Hopefully you have some good quality canned tomatoes, bottled clam juice and anchovy paste in your cupboard; if not, these are good items to keep on hand for other Seriously Simple dishes.
In the past, I would have made a fish stock from scratch, but I have found that bottled clam juice works nicely in this dish as a backdrop for all of the accompanying flavors — and it’s much quicker than cooking up a seafood stock from scratch.
The base of the stew can be made ahead and then finished at the last minute, making this an excellent choice for entertaining.
I suppose it is my French training that always comes into play when I make a fish stew. I seem to gravitate to adding extra flavor through a variety of aioli, those garlic-scented mayonnaise condiments that frankly make everything taste better,
This Mediterranean-influenced aioli is scented with lemon rind and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. While some may argue that I am gilding the lily, I find that the creamy aioli dolloped upon a crisp French bread slice and arranged on top of the stew is a delicious home run. Swirled throughout the soup, each bite is a surprise.
Begin the meal with a mixed green salad with some colorful vegetables such as beets or roasted peppers. Serve the soup in shallow bowls so you have more room for the aioli toasts. For dessert, try an apple tart or baked apples. I like to serve an assertive zinfandel with stew.
Help is on the way:
• Use the same wine for cooking and drinking.
• For a variation, substitute your favorite fish, such as halibut or sea bass.
• Select fresh scallops that are the same size as the shrimp so they cook the same amount of time as the shrimp.
• Have your fishmonger peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail on for a pretty presentation.
• This can be doubled for a larger crowd.
Seafood stew with garlic toasts and lemon Parmesan aioli
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups dry red wine such as zinfandel
1 cup bottled clam juice, or as needed
½ cup water
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juice
½ teaspoon anchovy paste
2-inch-long strip of orange peel
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
TOASTS:
12 slices French bread
1 garlic clove, sliced in half
Olive oil spray
AIOLI:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
White pepper to taste
SEAFOOD:
12 large shrimp, peeled, with tails left on, and deveined
12 medium to large scallops
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives for garnish
In a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and fennel, and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the wine, clam juice, water, tomatoes, anchovy paste, orange peel, and salt and pepper and simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the toasts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the garlic on one side of each slice of bread and very lightly spray with olive oil spray. Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 7 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the aioli and mix to blend. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
When the soup base is cooked, remove the orange peel, and season to taste. With a hand blender, blend until it is roughly pureed, with some texture remaining. Or transfer to a regular blender, in batches, and roughly puree, then return to the pot. If the soup base is too thick, add a bit more water or clam juice.
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and scallops and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until just cooked through.
To serve, spread some aioli on each toast. Ladle the stew into soup bowls (I like to use shallow soup plates for a pretty presentation). Arrange 2 or 3 toasts around the edge of each bowl and dollop a teaspoon of aioli in the center. Garnish with the chopped chives and serve immediately.
Advance Preparation: The stew may be made through Step 4 up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat before continuing. Make the toasts the day you will serve the stew. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Please read our comment policy before commenting.