Normandy Seafood Stew


🛒Ingredients (Grocery List)

  • 1 3/4 pounds White Fish fillets, such as Cod

  • 1 cup Crème Fraîche or Heavy Cream

  • 2 large Eggs Yolks

  • 1 1/2 pounds Mussels or Clams

  • 1 cup Dry White Wine

  • 2 medium Onions, diced

  • 2 tbsp unsalted Butter

  • 2 large Leeks, white part, cleaned, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds

  • 1 Fennel bulb, trimmed and diced

  • 4 cup Fish Stock

  • 1 Bouquet Garni

  • 9 ounces fresh Sea Scallops

  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf Parsley leaves for garnish

  • Lemon Zest

🍴Serves: 4 to 6

⏰Prep Time: 20 min

⏱️Cook Time: 40 min


🥣Instructions

1. Cut the Fish fillet into 2 by 1-inch pieces and refrigerate.

2. Whisk together the Crème Fraîche and Egg Yolks in a small bowl, cover, and set aside.

3. Clean the Mussels, rinse them well, and transfer them in a large heavy saucepan. Add the Wine, half of the diced Onions, and the Parsley, cover and bring to a boil over medium high. Cook the Mussels until they open wide, shaking the pan regularly. When they are cooked, remove them from the heat. Transfer the Mussels to a large bowl. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid. You need 2 cups of this liquid overwise add water to make up the difference. When the Mussels are cool enough to handle, remove them from the shell, reserving the meats.

4. Melt the Butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining Onion, Leeks, and fennel. Stir and cook until they are translucent, and the Leeks are beginning to turn tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the Fish Stock, reserved Mussel-cooking liquid, and bouquet garni to the pan. Increase the heat underneath the pan to bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender through, and the liquid has reduced by about one-third, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the fish and push it gently down to the liquid, then add the Scallops. If necessary, to keep the liquid to a simmer, increase the heat under the pan and cook until the Seafood is nearly but not quite cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the Fish and the Scallops to a warm bowl. Remove the Bouquet Garni from the cooking liquid and discard.

6. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot Seafood cooking liquid into the Crème Fraîche mixture, then stir this mixture back to the Seafood cooking liquid in the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the soup thickens just slightly, being very careful not to let it boil. Return the Fish and the Scallops to the pan, first draining away any liquid they might have given up. Add the Mussels to the soup and cook until all the Seafood is heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

7. Mince the Parsley leaves and stir, along with the Lemon zest, into the soup. Let cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then serve immediately in warmed, shallow bowls.