A satisfying seafood stew based on the sunny flavors of Provence, France.
The #SundaySupper movement is turning 2 and this week we’re celebrating with a virtual birthday party! I only started participating in early 2013, but it’s one of my favorite blogging events – and has inspired a lot of my favorite recipes. I really love the groups focus on making sure families gather around the dinner table at least once a week.
This week, participants were asked to share a favorite #SundaySupper memory along with their recipe. I was stumped at first, but then I had two great ideas that I had a hard time choosing between! My favorite Sunday Supper memories from 2013 were the two times when I actually sat down and shared a meal with other Sunday Supper participants – once with Carla at the Big Summer Potluck and the second with Nikki and Courtney at Mixed. Both meals were memorable not only for their delicious food, but also for fun conversations and new/strengthened friendships. I ended up making my decision for today’s post based solely on the food. While the kimchi deviled eggs I shared with Carla were out of this world, I really wanted to make a complete meal. So, seafood stew it is! This recipe is based on the amazing bouillabaisse that we had at Mixed, but I dumbed it down a little to make it easier and more accessible (the version we ate there involved fennel pollen, and the only way I’ve ever been able to get ahold of that is by mail.)
This isn’t a traditional bouillabaisse at all, but it definitely gives a nod to the south of France in terms of flavor. Fennel, saffron, and orange zest make the broth nice and bright, while garlic toasts give the meal a rustic, earthy feel. I used a combination of shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels in my stew, but you can use whatever you like or whatever happens to be on sale. (Using so many types of shellfish may seem indulgent, but you only need about a quarter pound of each so it’s not really that expensive. You can also use frozen seafood to cut costs even more – the shrimp, clams, and mussels I used came packaged together in a freezer bag.)
Ingredients
For the seafood stew:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- ½ fresh fennel bulb chopped
- 1 white potato chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups fish stock
- 15.5 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes drained and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 orange zested
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads lightly crushed
- sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste[br]
- 2 pounds mixed shellfish I used a combination of shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
For the garlic toasts:
- 1 small baguette about 8-inches
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed into a paste
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 4-quart soup pot set over medium heat. Add the shallots, celery, carrots, fennel, and potato. Cook 10 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the garlic; cook 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with the wine.
- Add the fish stock, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and orange zest. Bring to a simmer and let cook 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (the amount of salt needed will vary depending on your stock.)
- Add the shellfish and parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally until the fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve with garlic toasts.[br]
To prepare the garlic toasts:
- Heat the oven to 350ºF.
- Cut the baguette into 1-inch slices and arrange on a baking sheet. Spread each piece of bread with butter. Bake 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
- Spread each piece of bread with garlic. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, if desired. Bake 10 minutes.
Brilliant Breads and Breakfast Fare:
- Brioche aux Pépites de Chocolat from Food Lust People Love
- Broccoli, Potato & Cheese Egg Cups from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Celebration Strawberry Crepes from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Homemade Brioche from Masala Herb
- Onion Cheddar Cheese Focaccia from Flour On My Face
- Poached Pear Bread from Hip Foodie Mom
Amazing Appetizers and Cocktails:
- Blood Orange Gin Fizz from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Blue Cheese Walnut Tarts from Magnolia Days
- Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Stuffed Butternut Squash from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
- Cheesy Twists from What Smells So Good?
- Key Lime Pie Martini from girlichef
- Pizza Dip from The Food Army Wife
- Slow Cooker Party Mix from Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
Spectacular Soups and Salads:
- Creamy, Tangy Bacon Salad Dressing from Daily Dish Recipes
- Day at the Beach Healthy Tuna Salad from Shockingly Delicious
- Low Carb Spicy Chunky Vegetable Beef Chili from Yours and Mine Are Ours
- Luscious Fruit Salad from Pescetarian Journal
- Quinoa and Buffalo Chicken Salad from In the Kitchen with KP
Enticing Entrees:
- Carne de Porco Alentejana | Portuguese Pork and Clams from Family Foodie
- Chicken Shami Kebab from Soni’s Food
- Chicken and Rice Dinner in the Crock from Momma’s Meals
- Curried Chicken from The Foodie Patootie
- Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini from Citronlimette
- Imagination Stew from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Orecchiette with Chicken, Brocccoli, Mushrooms and Onions from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Runny Egg Risotto from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Sautéed Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce plus Arugula, Radicchio and Escarole Salad from Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Spice-Crusted Fish Tacos with Confetti Salsa from The Weekend Gourmet
- Spicy Roasted Squash and Wild Rice Bake from Curious Cuisiniere
- Spicy Shrimp Tempura Rolls from kimchi MOM
- Spinach Proscuitto Macaroni and Cheese with Walnut Topping from Noshing with the Nolands
- Tuscan Chicken Spinach Soup with Roasted Red Pepper from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Decadent Desserts:
- Azuki Red Bean Ice Cream from The Ninja Baker
- Banana Pudding Parfaits from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Birthday Cake Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Caramel Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars from Pies and Pots
- Chocolate Mousse Torte from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cinnamon Sugar Churros and Chocolate Sauce from Neighborfood
- Crumb Cake Brownies from Table for Seven
- Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Pops from Ruffles & Truffles
- Gluten-Free Epiphany Cake from Happy Baking Days
- Gluten-Free Vegan Coconut Cookies by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Happy Birthday Cake Batter Truffles from Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Kahlua Toffee Ice Cream Cake from Webicurean
- Mini Chocolate Bundt Cake with Raspberry Sauce from Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes from Basic N Delicious
- S’mores Snack Cake from Alida’s Kitchen
What a beautiful dish, Lauren! I love the all the colors and the flavors in your lovely black bowl!
What a fantastic seafood stew. I can’t wait to actually meet some of you in person.
This seafood stew is totally my kind of food…love it!
You had me at Provencal! 🙂 One of my favorite dishes, by far!
oh that looks so good!
A perfect fish stew and I love everything you included in there!
I need a big loaf of bread for the broth alone! I hope we cross paths this year in the conference circuit!
Now you have me dreaming of one of my favorite places in the world! I think the only fix is to make this stew and a big batch of socca and pretend I’m back in Provence!
Now this is my kind of stew, I could close my eyes and dream of being back in France while eating it. Happy #SundaySupper!!!
Lauren,
what a gorgeous seafood stew! Fennel, saffron, and orange zest for the broth?! oh my! Love it!