Monthly Archives: May 2008

Shellfish Stew

MARCELLA HAZAN calls this recipe All-Shellfish and Mollusks Soup in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. I call it simply Shellfish Stew. My version differs from Marcella’s with its use of whole shrimp in the shell and more tomatoes. 

Shellfish Stew is similar to other classic seafood soups with its fresh shellfish and tomatoes, but it differs from a traditional Bouillabaisse in its lack of finned fish. Squid does much of the heavy lifting here. Serve it over a thick slice of toasted crusty bread.

2 lbs whole squid
2 dozen or more live littleneck clams
1 dozen live mussels
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 large can (28 oz) canned plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice
1 lb fresh whole shrimp in shell, with tails sliced lengthwise for easy removal
salt and pepper to taste
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 lb fresh scallops
Good crusty bread, sliced thick and toasted

1. Clean and slice squid into rings; leave tentacles attached and whole if small. Scrub clams and mussels.

2. Saute onions in oil on medium heat until translucent. Add garlic. When garlic is golden, add the parsley. Stir, then pour in wine and let bubble for half a minute before adding tomatoes with juice. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the squid and cook at a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. Add water if necessary.

4. Season stew with spices, then add the shrimp. Simmer five minutes before adding clams and mussels and turning up heat to high. Stir. As clams and mussels begin to open, add the scallops. Cook until all clams and mussels are open.

5. Ladle into large soup bowls, over toasted bread.

And don’t forget the leftovers: You have instant Shellfish Pasta.

Mad Shrimping


Hood Canal. Last day of spot shrimp season. Two guys, two shrimp pots, 800 feet of rope. One canoe.

This may be one of stupider things I do on occasion, but it’s surely no stupider than things I did in my youth. Yes, the water’s cold and if we dumped it would be a problem, but generally we try to stay close enough to shore so that, in the event of an emergency, the swim isn’t too far.

A few years ago we hit Dabob Bay further up the Canal on a beautiful yet blustery spring day. By late morning there were whitecaps on the water, which made for a tough go. This outing was a piece of cake. No wind, still water, not too many boats. After setting the first two pots we paddled to shore and snacked on a few oysters. Seals and eagles foraged nearby.

But maybe we should have been a tad more superstitious. After all, we were shrimping off Dewatto Point, known to the Salish Indians as the place where men’s bodies are inhabited by evil spirits.

Shrimping off Dewatto Point was sketchy enough; when I got home I was beat tired and able to summon only enough energy to make tempura fried shrimp. Head on.

Martha joined me. “It’s like salt and pepper shrimp at the Hing Loon,” I explained. “The head is good for you. Plus, you don’t want to be wasteful.” But Martha won’t be biting the heads off shrimp again anytime soon. The next day she said they invaded her dreams.

Thai Red Curry Clams

3 lbs littleneck clams
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick lemongrass, cut into several 3-inch segments and crushed
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup basil, rough cut

Saute the garlic in oil for a couple minutes, then add lemongrass. Cook another minute or two before pouring in can of coconut milk. Stir in red curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to boil. Add clams and cover. When clams have opened (after 4 minutes or so), remove from heat and stir in basil. Serve immediately with bread for dipping.

Les Moules

HARD TO BEAT an early afternoon repast of steamed mussels, crusty bread, and chilled wine.

Mussels with Wine, Cream & Fresh Thyme

1 lb mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
4-5 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup white wine
several sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup cream
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
seasoning to taste

Saute shallots in olive oil and melted butter until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour in wine and a handful of thyme and bring to boil. Add mussels and cover. When the mussels have all opened (5 or more minutes), stir in cream and serve immediately with white wine and good bread for dipping.

Counting Clams

I haven’t stressed enough the educational opportunities afforded by foraging. For instance, the art of counting!

Can’t you see me explaining to the game warden why we’ve exceeded our limit: “She did the counting. It was her!”

Yesterday was a banner day. A minus tide, sixty-five degrees, and sunny. We dug limits of clams and oysters, and got a pile o’ mussels too. Once everyone had left with their gunnysacks full, the kids stripped off their mud-caked clothes and went skinny-dipping. Good times.