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We’ve been having a lot of evening thunderstorms lately. And by a lot I mean like every night this week. It’s such a bummer to be stuck in the office all day while its’s nice and then have the clouds move in just when it’s time to go home. My only consolation has been the excuse to make some of my rainy night summer favorites – clam chowder, moqueca, and this drunken shellfish stew. Last night we were even rewarded with an hour long break in the rain – just enough time to enjoy our shellfish feast outdoors. If you like red wine and shellfish, be sure to give this stew a try rain or shine!
Looking for more shellfish recipes? Try my linguine with calms or creamy shrimp risotto!
Notes on Drunken Shellfish Stew
So I think a lot of folks would label this stew a chioppino but we are not in San Francisco and I didn’t use any crab. Plus, I use two cups of red wine which is a bit more than usual (and red instead of white which seems more common). Anyways, chioppino or not, it’s delicous.
For the best flavor use a homemade fish or shellfish stock. I’ve provided instructions on how to make a shrimp stock from the shells of the shrimp that go in the stew but other homemade stock works well too. If you are going to go with store bought, I would get clam juice.
For the shellfish, you can really use a mix of whatever you like. I use shrimp, bay scallops, and a mix of clams and mussels. Other things often found in chioppino include crab legs (can replace some of the mussels or clams), squid, and/or a firm white fish (can replace the scallops). I always include shrimp because I love them and like to make stock from their shells. For the other ingredients I often go with what’s on sale or what looks best.
On Cleaning Shellfish
Make sure your shellfish are properly cleaned. For clams, just soak them in cold water for 20 minutes. They will expel any remaining sand and grit. Mussels are usually scrubbed and debeared before they are sold but it’s a good idea to give them a rinse and inspect them. I put them in a colander and give them a good rinse scrubbing any that look like they need it and removing any left over bread. See this how to guide on cleaning mussels in needed. The clams and mussels should all be closed. If you find open ones, tap them with a spoon. If they don’t close, discard them.
Make it Ahead
This a good dish for entertaining. You can easily make the stew base ahead of time. Just follow the instructions up to the point where the stew cooks for 30 minute – right before you add the shellfish. Store the pre-made stew in the refrigerator until 20 or so minutes before you want to eat. Then just bring it back to a boil and follow the remaining instructions.
Suggested Pairings
I pair this dish with a simple green salad and a crusty french bread or homemade crostinis. You can make garlic crostinis for an extra delicious meal! For wine, I suggest a bold California zinfandel. I’m a fan of Mad Duck and Cline these days – both are under $12 a dollar bottle.
Drunken Shellfish Stew
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This drunken shellfish stew is delicious. Serve it with chopped parsley and crusty bread or crostinis. And don’t forget the wine!
Ingredients
Shrimp Stock
- shells from 1 lb shrimp (you’ll use the shrimp in the stew)
- 4 cups water
- 1 onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 celery stocks, chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 sprigs parsley
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
Shellfish Stew
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 3 bell peppers (I use 2 red and 1 green), chopped
- 7 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cups red wine (I use red zinfandel)
- 2 cups of shrimp stock*
- 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed
- 2 bay leafs
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells for the stock)
- ½ lb bay scallops
- 8–10 mussels, scrubbed and debeared
- 8–10 clams, cleaned (I like manila, cherry stone or little neck)
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
- crusty bread for serving
Instructions
Stock
- Combine all stock ingredients in a large pot. Bring to simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes. It should reduce to about 3 cups. Set aside.
Stew
- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch over. Add the onion and peppers and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the garlic, fennel seed, and red pepper and cook another 7 minutes.
- Add the stock, wine, tomatoes and dried herbs (bay leaf, thyme, oregano). Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
- When the stew is almost ready, you can steam your mussels and clams. Fill a large pot with an inch of water and bring to a boil. Add the mussels and clams and cover. Steam for several minutes until they open (typically 4-7 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to fish them out as they open and set aside. Be sure to discard any that don’t open.*
- Return stew heat to a boil. Add the shrimp and scallops, cook 4 minutes. Once shrimp are cooked through, add the steamed mussels and clams. Add the parley and serve in large bowls with crusty french bread.
Notes
- *If you don’t have homemade seafood stock, substitute clam juice for a rich seafood flavor.
- *It’s best to steam the shellfish separately to ensure they all open. This also helps avoid overcooking the shrimp and scallops.
Keywords: shellfish; shrimp; clams; mussels; scallops; chioppino; red zinfandel
