I especially enjoy making fresh seafood stew when everything in the garden is booming. Juicy, ripe tomatoes, parsley, oregano, bay leaves, garlic, lemons...
This recipe is easy to adapt to your families preferences. You can use a variety of seafood, just shrimp or scallops, or even clams--I prefer the "mixed bag" from Costco. It contains shrimp, scallops, tender mussels, squid and clams.
I start with a base of 1 large, sweet onion, finely chopped and 4 ribs celery, finely chopped as well. Saute this in a Dutch oven with 1/4 cup of butter until tender.
Add about 2 lbs. fresh chopped tomatoes and stir to combine.
Add 1 tomato bouillon and 1 chicken flavor bouillon and 4 cups of water.
Add 1/2 cup rich, red wine.
Stir to combine and turn heat up to bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce heat to medium-low.
Add 2-to-4 cloves chopped garlic, the juice of a fresh lemon, a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes & 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Mix well.
Allow to simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add 2 lbs. seafood and turn heat off. Cover pot and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and ladle into bowls.
Serve with French bread and red wine.
* I had about 1-1/2 cups of leftover rice pilaf from last nights dinner so I added that with the seafood at the end. I hate to waste~!
