Shellfish are often overlooked for nutritional value. They are an excellent source of lean protein and most of the dietary fat found in shellfish are heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Shellfish are also rich in the micronutrients vitamin B12, selenium, iron and magnesium, which are extremely important for the proper functioning of your body, offering benefits to your immune system, heart health and brain function.
When you buy live shellfish such as oysters, mussels and clams, they will be placed in an untied plastic bag with no liquid. It is important to keep them refrigerated in this open bag so they don’t die. And don’t add water and submerge them or they will die.
Cioppino
Be sure to prepare the shellfish before adding to broth. Clams should be soaked in cold water for 30 minutes so they release any sand held in them. Carefully remove clams from the water by hand rather than pouring the water off. Mussels may have to be scrubbed and the beards, or stringy parts, removed. Clam juice or broth and seafood broth can often be found in the soup and stock aisle of a grocery store.
- olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 medium fennel bulb, fronds removed, cored and finely diced
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. red chili pepper flakes 2 mL
- 1 large bay leaf
- 8 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 2 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste 37 mL
- 1 1/2 c. dry white wine 375 mL
- 28 fl. oz. can crushed tomatoes 1 L
- 3 c. bottled seafood or clam broth 750 mL
- 1 1/2 lb. halibut or cod, cut into 1 1/2-2 in. chunks 750 g
- 1 lb. clams, scrubbed and soaked for 30 minutes in cold water 500 g
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined 500 g
- 1 lb. black mussels, de-bearded and scrubbed 500 g
- 1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish 15 mL
- sliced and toasted sourdough bread or focaccia, for serving on the side
- lemon wedges, optional, served on the side
Place a large soup pot over medium heat and drizzle in about 1/4 cup (60 mL) of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add diced onion and fennel, along with a couple of good pinches of salt and pepper, plus the red chili pepper flakes and the bay leaf, and stir to combine.
Sauté together for about five to seven minutes, until they begin to soften and become aromatic. Then, add garlic and stir to incorporate, and once it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds, add tomato paste and stir to combine and cook for a moment or so.
Next, add white wine, crushed tomatoes along with their juices, and seafood stock and stir to combine. Taste the cioppino broth and add a couple of very generous pinches of salt to taste and a pinch or two of black pepper, if necessary.
Bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat and allow it to gently simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, remove bay leaf and taste broth to see if more red pepper flakes, salt and pepper are needed. With the broth vigorously simmering, begin adding seafood to the pot starting with the halibut or cod pieces first, next the mussels, then the clams, followed by the shrimp. Using a wooden spoon, just barely nudge them into the broth a bit to partly submerge them.
Cover the pot with a lid and allow the seafood to cook for 10 minutes at a vigorous simmer, or until the clams and the mussels are opened up. Take care to not overcook to avoid rubbery seafood.
Before serving, check to see if any clams or mussels remained closed, and if so, remove those because they are not good to eat. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the cioppino and garnish with parsley, then ladle into shallow bowls and serve with toasted sourdough or focaccia and lemon wedges.
Serves six.
Oysters on the half shell
My favourite way to eat oysters is raw on the half shell with a little lemon juice, a splash of mignonette sauce and a drop or two of hot sauce.
Arrange the shucked oysters on a plate of shaved ice for serving. There are several YouTube videos showing how to shuck oysters if you don’t feel confident.
Mignonette sauce
- 1 tbsp. shallots, minced 15 mL
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar 30 mL
- pinch cracked black pepper
Finely mince shallot. Add to a serving bowl. Add red wine vinegar and cracked black pepper to the shallot bowl. Taste test and adjust based on your preference.
Scallops with caviar
- 8 large scallops
- sprig of thyme, smashed clove of garlic
- 2 shallots
- 2 tbsp. butter 30 mL
- 3/4 c. whipping cream 175 mL
- 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. dry white wine 90 mL
- 1/2 c. chopped flat leaf parsley 125 mL
- caviar
Heat pan to medium hot and add butter, thyme and garlic. Sear scallops for a minute on each side, or until they release from the pan, adding more butter if necessary.
To make the sauce, sauté finely chopped shallots with butter until golden for five to seven minutes. Add wine and reduce until the liquid is almost gone. Remove from heat. Add cream and stir in flat leaf parsley. Add salt and pepper.
Stir for a minute and pour sauce into a blender, puree on high speed until smooth.
Add sauce to the plate, place two scallops in the middle and top with caviar. Serve immediately.
Shrimp enchiladas
Use the jalapenos to suit your taste. The amount in this recipe makes a medium hot sauce. Shrimp in a can is also fine.
Shrimp mixture:
- 2-3 tbsp. butter 30-45 mL
- 1/2 c. red and green bell pepper finely chopped 125 mL
- 1/2 c. onion finely diced 125 mL
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined, chopped into pieces 500 g
- 1/4 c. cilantro chopped 60 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. cumin 2 mL
- 1 tsp. chili powder 5 mL
- 8-9 inch flour or corn tortillas 22 cm
Cream sauce:
- 2 tbsp. flour 30 mL
- 2 tbsp. butter 30 mL
- 1 1/2 c. chicken broth 375 mL
- 3/4 -1 c. sour cream 185-250 mL
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 2 mL
- 1/2 c. diced canned jalapeno chiles 125 mL
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 c. green enchilada sauce or salsa verde 60 mL
- 2 c. Monterey jack cheese 500 mL
- garnish with lime crema, cilantro, jalapenos and limes
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Spray a 9×13 (22×33 cm) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Shrimp mixture: Using a large skillet, melt butter. Sauté bell peppers and onions until lightly softened, about three to five minutes. Add garlic and cook additional minute.
Add shrimp and cook two to three minutes, or until shrimp turns pink. You don’t want to overcook the shrimp. Remember, it will cook more in the oven. Remove from heat and add in cilantro, salt, cumin and chili powder. Stir and set aside.
Cream sauce: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add flour and cook one to two minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth 1/2 cup (125 mL) at a time. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, about three to five minutes until thickened.
Lower heat, stir in sour cream, garlic powder, chiles and enchilada sauce. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Add one cup (250 mL) of sauce to shrimp mixture, stir to combine.
Assemble enchiladas: Add 1/3 cup (75 mL) shrimp mixture to each flour tortilla, roll tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Pour remaining sauce over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over enchiladas.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately with garnishes on the side. Serves four to eight.
Lime crema
- 1/4 c. sour cream 60 mL
- 3 tbsp. mayonnaise 45 mL
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 15 mL
- zest from half a lime
- 1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and avid supporter of local food producers. She has been a market vendor, grew up on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan and is a member of TEAM Resources.
