Italian Seafood Soup With Gremolata

When I was young, my Mother always told me that whatever happened on New Year’s Day set the theme for the rest of the year. She would make us clean our rooms and demand that all of our homework was finished before we could celebrate the arrival of the new year. This is one tradition that I have carried with me throughout the years, and on New Year’s Day every year, I find myself cleaning and organizing to ensure I begin the new year with an uncluttered home. 

One of my intentions every new year is to eat more plant-based meals with an occasional seafood meal thrown in, so what better way to start the year? My whole family loves seafood, so I decided to throw together this hearty seafood soup for our holiday meal.

The trick to this dish is to first cook the squid long and slow which creates a very tender texture and adds lots of flavor to the soup. I used squid, mussels, clams, shrimp, and grouper to make my soup, and threw in two lobster tails just to create an extra special holiday dish. Any firm-fleshed fish such as halibut or cod could be used in place of the grouper if you prefer. What truly makes this stew sing is the gremolata topping served on top, so I encourage you not to exclude that step!

Gremolata is simply a combination of fresh parsley, lemon peel, and garlic that is chopped together and used as a topping for hearty braised meats and stews. Although it sounds like a simple step, the combination of these three common Italian ingredients brightens any dish they top. Do serve with lots of crusty Italian bread as you’ll want to sop up all the juices.

 

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Italian Seafood Stew

Italian Seafood Stew

Yield: Serves 4 - 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

A mix of fresh seafood is used in this hearty seafood stew.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
  • 1 Fennel Bulb, Finely Chopped
  • 1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
  • Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Pound Medium Sized Cleaned Squid, Bodies Cut Into 1/2 Inch Rings, Tentacles Halved
  • 2 Cups Dry White Wine
  • 1 (28 Ounce) Can Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Sicilian Oregano
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1 Cup Seafood Stock
  • 12 Ounces Cleaned Mussels
  • 12 Ounces Littleneck Clams
  • 12 Ounces Cleaned & Deveined Medium Shrimp
  • 12 Ounces Firm Fleshed Fish (Such As Grouper, Halibut, Striped Bass, or Cod)Cut Into 1 1/2-inch Pieces
  • 2 Medium Lobster Tails, Flesh Removed From Shells & Cut Into Bite-Sized Pieces

Topping:

  • 3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley
  • Zest From 1 Lemon
  • 1 Large Garlic Clove, Peeled

Instructions

  1. In a large heavy bottomed stockman, heat the oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the fennel, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Add the squid, and cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes.
  4. Pour in the white wine, and cook over medium high heat until most of the wine has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes and lemon zest, salt, pepper, and oregano.
  6. Cook over low heat stirring every so often, until the mixture is very thick, about 30 to 35 minutes.
  7. Add the water and seafood stock, and bring to a boil.
  8. Add the mussels, clams, and shrimp, cover the pot, and cook until most of the shells have opened, about 5 minutes.
  9. Stir in the lobster meat along with the fish, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until the fish is opaque.
  10. While the stew is cooking place the parsley, lemon, and garlic on a cutting board and chop ingredients together finely.
  11. Serve the stew immediately in bowls, with a sprinkling of the gremolata on top.

Notes

Adapted from Marco Canora Italian Seafood Stew (Food & Wine)

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 753Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 467mgSodium: 1808mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 94g

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