Brian in the Kitchen Recipes
BRIAN IN THE KITCHEN brought to you by Stittsworth Meats
November 3 2017
Alaskan Seafood Stew with Roasted Garlic Aioli
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cups (about 10 ounces) small white potatoes cut into large dice
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 quart homemade stock, store-bought seafood stock or bottled clam juice*
1 pound (31/40 count) raw shrimp, preferably wild-caught, peeled and deveined
About 1 1/2 pounds fish filets, such as cod, halibut, and salmon, cut into large, bite-size pieces
1 1/2 pounds clams, cleaned and rinsed
2 teaspoons fresh grated orange zest (optional)
Fresh chopped parsley, as garnish
Serve with toasted baguette slices and Roasted Garlic Aioli (recipe follows)
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and add onions, potato, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add wine and scrape bottom of pot. Increase heat to high and add tomatoes, garlic, and stock (see recipe below for a quick homemade stock). When liquid starts to boil, decrease heat to medium low and let simmer, uncovered 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Add shrimp, fish, and clams, if including, and bring liquid back to a gentle boil; reduce heat to medium and cover pot for 5 minutes. Stir seafood, turn off heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in orange zest, if using, and a squeeze of fresh orange juice. Fish and shrimp should be cooked through; be careful not to overcook. Remove and discard any clams that have not opened. Taste broth and add more salt or pepper, as needed. Garnish with some fresh chopped parsley and serve with toasted baguette slices and Roasted Garlic Aioli. For a richer broth, stir some of the aioli into the soup.
Roasted Garlic Aioli
1 whole head of garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take one whole head of garlic and cut about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch off the top. Place head, cut side up, in a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil or in a baking tin and drizzle top with some olive oil, loosening the cloves with your fingers so that some oil penetrates. Wrap tightly with foil and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the cloves are soft. Unwrap and let cool enough to handle. When cool, squeeze the cloves and smash them into the mayonnaise and cayenne pepper. Taste and add more cayenne, as needed.
To make a quick stock for this recipe with unpeeled whole shrimp: Remove the shrimp shells and heads (and any fish scraps) and place them in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; part of an onion (leaving the peel on is OK), some black peppercorns, a carrot, cut in half or quartered; a celery rib, and add enough water (and some white wine) to cover by about 2 inches or so. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium, simmering uncovered about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or large measuring cup, discarding the solids.