Recipe: Northwest Seafood Stew

Serves 6

Many seafood stews reflect a Mediterranean model with saffron, garlic and tomatoes. Developed in the 1980s to highlight Pacific Northwest ingredients, this stew is flavored with sweet apple cider and cream. It owes something to the traditional techniques of Normandy, a region with a climate and native ingredients similar to ones found here.

For the base

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

1 medium leek, split lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 medium fennel bulb, split lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 cups heavy cream

For the seafood

3 cups apple cider

1 generous pinch saffron threads

1 ½ pounds salmon filet, cut into 2-ounce chunks or 1 ½ pounds halibut filet, cut into 2-ounce chunks

12 oysters, preferably live, in their shells

36 mussels, live, in their shells

12 large prawns, shelled and deveined

For the garnish

Leaves reserved from the fennel bulb

1. In a large saucepan, warm the butter over medium-high heat until it is melted and bubbling hot but not browned. Stir in the flour and whisk the mixture to make a light, golden-colored roux. Sauté the sliced leek and the sliced fennel in the roux until it is beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream; when it comes to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to simmer.

2. In a large soup pot, over high heat, bring the apple cider and the saffron to a full rolling boil. Meanwhile, scrub the oysters and pluck the beards off the mussels. Add the salmon or halibut, the oysters, mussels and prawns to the boiling cider. Cover and cook until the oysters and mussels have popped open and turned opaque, about 15 minutes.

3. Use a slotted spoon to distribute the seafood evenly between six large serving bowls. Whisk the cooking liquid into the base and ladle the mixture over the seafood. Garnish each serving with the fennel leaves and serve at once.

Copyright © Greg Atkinson, 2006