Best 6 French Country Fish Mussel Stew Recipes

SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.;
• Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1¿2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine.

FRENCH MUSSEL BISQUE

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup of the wine to a boil in a large, shallow pot. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the mussels open. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, separate the mussels from the shells and set aside, discarding the shells and any mussels that didn't open. Strain the cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl and reserve.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in another large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions, leek, carrots, garlic, saffron, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute.
• Add 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid (discard the rest) and the rest of the wine, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the reserved mussels, the half-and-half, and the cream. Heat until just heated through but not boiling. Stir in the parsley or dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve hot.

FISHERMAN'S STEW

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and water in a measuring cup or bowl. Puree using an immersion blender until smooth.
• Cut sea bass into roughly 1 1/2-inch chunks to match the other seafood in size. Place fish, shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams in individual dishes so they're ready to use.
• Melt butter and olive oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel, garlic, and salt; cook and stir until garlic takes on color, about 1 minute. Stir in white wine. Let simmer until reduced by about 1/2, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato broth base; bring to a boil. Continue to boil until fennel is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Stir in parsley, bass, shrimp, and calamari. Add clams and mussels. Cover, increase heat to high, and cook until clam and mussel shells open and fish, shrimp, and calamari are opaque, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to warm serving bowls. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

NORMANDY FISH STEW

Steps:

• Place mussels and cider or wine in a wide, shallow pan. Cover and place on a high heat for 3-4 mins, shaking pan a few times until mussels have opened. Tip into a colander over a bowl to catch the juices. Discard any that have not opened.
• Place the pan back on the heat with a large knob of butter. Sizzle the leeks for 8 mins until soft, then add the mushrooms. Add the mussel cooking liquid and crème fraîche and bubble down for 5 mins to reduce by half. Turn down the heat and add the fish. Cover and gently poach for 10 mins until cooked, then carefully lift out. Stir through the mussels and parsley and heat through.
• If you want, place the fish back in the pan to serve from the table or place a piece of fish in each serving bowl and spoon everything else around it. Delicious served with boiled waxy potatoes, such as Pink Fir Apple.

MUSSEL STEW WITH PINEAU DES CHARENTES

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in large Dutch oven over high heat. Boil 3 minutes. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to serving bowl, discarding any that do not open; cover and keep warm. Reserve cooking liquid.
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in reserved cooking liquid. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Whisk in cream and parsley. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Mix in Pineau des Charentes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over mussels and serve.

FISHMONGER'S STEW

Steps:

• Soak the clams in cold water to remove grit and sand, then drain. Rinse and de-beard the mussels. Put the monkfish, scrod, squid and bay scallops (if using) in separate small bowls. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and leeks and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, thyme, bay leaf, saffron, garlic, paprika and red pepper flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat to high, add the fish stock, chicken broth or water, and bring to a boil. Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Add the potatoes and reduce the heat so they simmer gently until firm-tender, about 10 minutes. (The stew may be prepared to this point up to 2 hours ahead.)
• To finish the stew, return the heat to a brisk simmer. Add the clams and cook till they open, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mussels, monkfish and scrod and simmer until the mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squid and scallops, if using, and cook 1 minute more. Turn off the heat, stir in the garlic-saffron sauce.