When the leaves are slowly starting to shift from green to brilliant golds and reds, as well as slowly drifting down into piles, you know that the weather is finally changing from summer to fall. When the first touch of cooler temperatures arrives for many of us, we turn to those warm and comforting items that we enjoy most, whether a deliciously hot drink or a wonderful bowl of soup or stew.
Stews can be as complicated or as simple as you wish. It is one of the most versatile types of food that can be cooked easily on a stovetop, in your favorite crockpot, or even in the oven. This season as the temperatures lower, why not try a selection of some of our favorite fish and seafood stews? Hearty, filling, and warming, these will surely become one of your favorite go-to meals!
Seafood Stew for The Crockpot
This easy recipe can be modified quickly for all sorts of different seafood options according to taste. If you aren't a fan of the below ingredients, feel free to switch them up! You'll want roughly 2 pounds or so of your choice of seafood.
Ingredients
- 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 lb baby potatoes or potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ medium diced onion
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried cilantro
- ½ tsp celery salt
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 lbs of seafood of choice or scallops, extra-large shrimp and crab legs
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except seafood to your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-6, until potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through.
- Add fresh or thawed seafood to your crockpot and return to high heat.
- Cook for an additional 30-60 minutes until seafood is thoroughly cooked.
- Serve and enjoy! It pairs well with crusty bread if you so choose.
Stove Top White Fish Stew
Whitefish such as halibut, cod, red snapper, or sea bass make for a savory, delightful flavor for this quick and tasty stovetop stew. If you aren't a fan of white fish, this recipe can easily be transformed into a seafood stew by using roughly ½ to 2 lbs of shrimp, mussels, clams, and/or scallops. When adding shellfish, remember to add them a few minutes before the fish as they need more time cooking and opening.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium chopped onion
- 3 large cloves of minced garlic
- 2/3 cup chopped, fresh parsley leaves
- 1 ½ cups fresh chopped tomato or 1 14oz can whole crushed tomatoes with juices.
- 2 tsp tomato paste, optional to taste
- 1 8oz bottle of clam juice or 1 cup shellfish stock
- ½ cup dry white wine like Sauvignon blanc
- 1 ½ lbs firm whitefish, either halibut, cod, red snapper or seabass cut into 2-inch pieces.
- Pinch of dried oregano
- Pink of dried thyme
- 1/8 tsp Tobasco sauce or more to taste
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
- 1 tsp salt or more to taste
Instructions
- In a thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with olive oil, add the onion and saute for 4 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook one minute more. Next, add parsley and stir well for 2 minutes, then add tomato, tomato paste and gently cook for 10 more minutes.
- Add clam juice, dry white wine, and fish. Bring to a simmer, and continue simmering until your fish is cooked through and easily flakes apart, about 3-5 minutes. Add seasonings—salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and Tabasco. Add more salt and pepper or Tabasco to taste and serve!
New England Clam Chowder
What would any great fish and seafood stew list be without mentioning the legendary New England Clam Chowder? This surprisingly uncomplicated dish is easy to whip up on a cold night and is creamy, packed with flavor and deliciousness.
Ingredients
- 2 dozen Atlantic chopped clams
- 3-4 slices of bacon, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup half and half
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add clams to a large pot or saucepan, adding one cup of water. Cover and cook over high height for 7-8 minutes.
- Uncover. If using fresh clams with shells, remove any that did not open. Otherwise, chop clams, straight the cooking liquid through a paper towel or cheesecloth, and reserve the liquid from the clams.
- In a dutch oven or large soup pot, cook diced bacon until browned. Remove the bacon to a plate and pat with a paper towel.
- In the same dutch oven, melt the butter. Add onion and garlic, stirring over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, adding thyme when the onions and garlic begin to soften and look translucent.
- Whisk in flour, then add milk, vegetable stock, reserved clam juice, and bay leaf. Stir gently together, then add in your diced potatoes and combine.
- Bring the chowder to a boil, remembering to stir frequently, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes or until a fork quickly passes through.
- Stir in half and half, and you set aside cooked clams until everything is heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve and enjoy.
When the days get shorter, and the temperatures begin dropping, there's nothing like a home-cooked soup or stew to fill your stomach and warm the heart. Get unmatched quality seafood delivered directly to your door for fish and seafood stews that are even easier than the above. When the deadlines are coming, errands need running, and you don't have much time, let us help you prepare unforgettable meals that you'll love making and eating again and again.