Rhea's Rundown
As the days become shorter and the temperatures drop lower cuddle up to this hearty soup chock-full of delightful seafood. The base is a combination of leeks, sliced garlic, white wine, water, chicken stock, clam juice, and red pepper. A bay leaf and a few thyme sprigs lend a little extra flavor. This dish requires 15 minutes of hands-on time and a total of 30 minutes. You can substitute shrimp or littleneck clams for mussels. Since I am a seafood fanatic I added both to the mix, using some of the shrimp from the salad of the week. If you're feeling adventurous try adding a little sauteed calamari to the mix. Vegetarians need only substitute vegetable oth for the chicken oth.
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 1 ½ cups small red potatoes, quartered (about 10 ounces)
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ pound striped bass fillets
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced leek
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
- ½ cup clam juice
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 24 medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 4 (1-ounce) slices diagonally cut French ead
- 1 garlic clove, halved
Directions
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan. Add water to cover potatoes; ing to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer 10 minutes; drain potatoes. Set aside.
2. Preheat oiler to high.
3. Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl. Add fish, skin side down; cook 2 minutes or until skin is crisp. Remove from pan; eak into 2-inch pieces.
4. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add leek and sliced garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly owned, stirring occasionally. Add wine; ing to a boil, scraping pan to loosen owned bits. Add 1 cup water and next 6 ingredients (though bay leaf); ing to a boil. Add potatoes, fish, and mussels; cover and cook 4 minutes or until shells open and fish is done. Discard any unopened shells, thyme, and bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.
5. Arrange ead in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 1 ½ minutes or until toasted. Rub ead generously with cut side of garlic. Serve with stew.
“Quick Seafood Stew.” Cooking Light: One-Dish Meals. Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. 2015. Print.
Rhea Torreon
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