Tasty shrimp stew is ready in minutes
FALL FOOD: Seafood dish delicious and prepares quickly, too
When fall weather has us hankering for a bowl of warmth, we often think of chili and beef stew.
The trouble with those delicious options is time.
The best versions of each tend to require long simmers to develop the great and comforting flavours we’re looking for. That’s fine for a weekend spent in the apple orchard, but hard to squeeze in during the week when kids and errands are competing for our time at the stove.
And that was the inspiration for this delicious seafood stew.
It is every bit as rich and flavourful as a good chili or meat-based stew, but cooks up in no time.
Unlike beef, which needs a long, low simmer to become tender, seafood prefers to be cooked quickly (otherwise it can toughen up).
There aren’t a lot of rules for a recipe such as this. Add or subtract ingredients as you see fit.
But do cook the seasonings with the oil and onion first. This helps them quickly develop the sort of deep flavours you’d normally get from a much longer cooking time.
And don’t be put off by the ‘spicy’ in the recipe title. The heat is mild and is there mostly to highlight the other flavours in the dish.
Spicy Shrimp and Haddock Stew
Start to finish: 50 minutes (15 minutes active)
Servings: 8
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 russet potatoes, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
1/4 tsp (1 ml) red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fennel seeds, lightly crushed (use the back of a spoon)
2 stalks celery, chopped
15 oz (426 g) can diced tomatoes
8 oz (226 g) bottle clam juice
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 lb (500 g) raw, shelled extralarge shrimp
1 lb (500 g) haddock (or other mild white fish, such as cod or whiting), cut into small chunks
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper
In a large saucepan over mediumhigh, heat the olive oil. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, thyme, paprika, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery, tomatoes (and any juice in the can), clam juice and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add shrimp and haddock and increase the heat slightly to maintain a simmer. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and the haddock flakes easily. Stir in the parsley, dill and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.