Tag: Seafood

Delicious Recipe for Louisiana Shrimp and Crab Stew

Wintertime means that it’s the perfect time of the year to whip up some classic Louisiana recipes. So, if you’re in the mood for a hearty, rich, and delicious shrimp and crab stew, then look no further than this recipe from Louisiana Cookin’.

Ingredients for Shrimp and Crab Stew 

Directions for Shrimp and Crab Stew

  1. You’ll want to begin this recipe by scalding your dozen blue crabs with hot water in order to stun them. You’ll then remove the back from each crab (which is the top shell) so that you can clean out the gills (also affectionately referred to as “dead man fingers”), lungs, and the center of each crab. Afterward, crack the crabs in half and remove the claws, placing them aside for a future seafood stock. You’ll also want to peel and devein your shrimp for this recipe. You can also put the shrimp heads and shells along with your crab claws for a future homemade seafood stock.
  2. Next, in the large heavy stockpot, you’ll want to combine your vegetable oil and flour over medium heat. Begin stirring slowly to make a dark brown roux, and continue stirring for about 15-20 minutes. Once your roux is of a dark brown coloration all over, you’ll add your celery, bell peppers, and onion (also known as the holy trinity in South Louisiana cooking circles). You’ll cook the vegetables in the roux until the vegetables are soft, which should take about 5 minutes if you are stirring frequently.
  3. After the vegetables are soft, add your bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper, and seafood stock to your stockpot. Stir all of the ingredients in order to combine them, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the stew ingredients and base are boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, add in your crabs, and let them simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
  4. Next, add your crabmeat and shrimp, and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the stockpot from the heat, add your parsley, and serve the dish hot. Enjoy!

Notes for Shrimp and Crab Stew:

  • To make cooking easier and more humane, place your live crabs in the freezer for about 15 minutes before preparing them. Fill your largest stock pot with heavily salted water and add 3 bay leaves, a tablespoon or so of black peppercorns, and a teaspoon of paprika. Bring the water to a boil and then, using a pair of tongs, grasp each crab from behind so you don’t get pinched. Depending on the pot’s size and the number of crabs being cooked, you may want to cook one at a time. Lower each crab into the boiling water with its legs facing down and allow it to cook for roughly 15 minutes (when it floats to the top give an extra two to three minutes). To cool off after cooking, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes then drop in each crab briefly before beginning the cleaning process.
  • Crab and shrimp stews definitely pair nicely alongside some homemade potato salad, french bread, or rice.

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Brothy Seafood Chowder Recipe

This is the perfect recipe for someone who is feeling extra adventurous! Brothy Seafood Chowder posted by Bon Appetit requires fish bones to make the stock. All of the fishing trips you took this summer means there are probably a lot of bones left. Or this recipe gives you the perfect reason to take one last trip before summer ends. This way you get to use almost every single piece of the fish! To make this great seafood chowder you’ll need…

INGREDIENTS

For the Stock of your Seafood Chowder

2 pounds of fish bones, rinsed off

2 stalks of celery, chopped up

1 leek-The dark green parts should be chopped and rinsed. The white part should be cut into ¼” rounds, also rinsed. Set these aside for the actual stew

1 small onion, quarted and unpeeled

1 garlic clove, smashed up

½ cup of sake or dry white wine

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon ofcrushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

6 thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves (these are optional)

For the Stew

1 and ½ pounds of boneless, skinless white fish (like cod).  It needs to be cut into 1” pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

1 pound of small Yukon Gold potatoes, these should be quartered

2 cups of Sun Gold tomatoes

1 fennel bulb, half it lengthwise, then thinly slice it crosswise

Extra virgin olive oil , this will be used for drizzling

UTENSILS

A large pot

A fine-mesh sieve

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE SEAFOOD CHOWDER

For the stock:

The first step for cooking the stock is to cook the fish bones. Heat up the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the fish bones into the pot, stir the bones occasionally but be careful. You do not want to break down the bones. This should take 6 to 8 minutes, continue to cook until there are light, brown spots forming on the bones. The next step is to add the crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, dark green leek pieces, onion, celery, bay leaves, and thyme.

Continue to stir occasionally, scrape the bottom of the pot when stirring. This will help make sure that the stock base isn’t sticking to the pot. Once the onions are golden brown add the sake or wine and cook for about a minute. The base will be reduced by half and that’s when it is ready for the next step.

Add 12 cups of cold water and fennel seeds to the pot; bring this to a boil. Once the stock begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium/low heat. Bring the stock to a simmer and continue to cook; when the foam rises make sure to skim it off. Cook for about 40 to 50 minutes. Once the stock is fully cooked let it cool for about 30 minutes. Strain the stock using a fine-mesh sieve, throw out all of the solids.

Helpful tip! You can cook the stock up to 3 days in advance and just chill it for later.

For the Stew:

Place the stock and the potatoes in a large pot and bring it to a boil, make sure to season it with salt. Once the stock and potatoes begin to boil, set the heat to medium and let it simmer. Cook for about 10 to 14 minutes, making sure that the potatoes are tender. Once the potatoes soften, add the white leek parts and fennel. This should only take about 4 to 6 minutes to cook.

The next step is to add the fish, cook for about 4 more minutes. Make sure the fish is opaque, that’s how you will know it is done. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Serve in a nice deep bowl. Stop by your local grocery store and pick up some fresh bread to serve. Or even make it yourself!

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