SEAFOOD STEW WITH FENNEL AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
At the Gorge, Chef Fiona cooked up some of her hearty Seafood Stew with Fennel and Sun-dried Tomatoes, an ode to the bounty of seafood in the Pacific Northwest. When enjoying the dish at home, try pairing it with the Dreaming Tree Crush.
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
- 20 each Little neck or cherrystone clams, soaked in cool water and scrubbed
- 2 lbs. mussels, soaked in cool water and debearded
- 1 lb. shrimp, wild American preferred, 16/20's, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb. scallops, bay or sea
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow or white onion
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 head fennel, thinly sliced
- Large pinch of crushed red pepper, (more if you like spice)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 large tomatoes, rough chopped
- 1 c white wine
- 1 c clam juice/seafood stock
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- 1 bunch basil, leaves chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, leaves chopped
- 1/2 c sun-dried tomato puree
Directions
- In a large pot (with a tightly fitted lid) over medium heat sauté onions, garlic and a large pinch of salt in olive oil, about 3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add fennel and crushed red pepper, sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add bay leaf, thyme, tomatoes, white wine, clam juice and salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce by 1/3.
- Add clams, stir and cover for 1 minute (longer for larger clams).
- Add mussels, stir, cover and cook for 1 minute.
- Add shrimp, stir, cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add scallops, stir, cover and cook for about 2 minutes, (maybe longer) until shrimp and scallops are opaque and most of the mussels and clams are opened (Discard those that do not open). Turn off heat.
- Add basil and parsley. Stir the sun-dried tomato puree into the broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with crusty bread, lightly toasted.