This time of year when it’s cold and miserable out, there’s nothing quite as nice as a good seafood stew made with the freshest ingredients you can find.
That’s exactly what I did last night with turbot and sole that had been caught earlier in the morning just a few miles from my home.
This seafood stew recipe was my attempt at a delicious Normandy fish stews my wife and I had on a short break there last year. I am happy to say it was a complete success.
I love turbot and sole and prefer not to cut them up when making a stew.
Instead I leave the fillets whole. Cutting into the fresh fish fillets smothered in the creamy cider sauce just plain gets it.
We served the seafood stew with garlic bread. You can’t go wrong with garlic bread!
Which Fish?
I of course use turbot and sole. These fish are fantastic for making the stock. You could use other meaty fish such as monkfish, bass and bream.
Shellfish like mussels, prawns and clams also work well in the mix. That’s why I did it.
If using prawns, be sure to order them with the shells and heads on. There is so much flavour in there. It would be a shame to waste it.
Just don’t use oily fish such as salmon for the stock.
Working ahead…
Seafood stock is always best used as soon as you can. It tends to lose flavour if kept too long.
That said, I often make the stock for this stew earlier in the day and then throw it all together just before serving.
Serving…
Let’s make this seafood stew perfect! There’s no point making a delicious fish stew like this and then serving it in cold bowls.
Be sure to heat them in a low oven for about 20 minutes just before serving. You’ll be glad you did.
I like to serve the stew with lemons and chopped parsley which I serve at the table for people to add as they want.
Cooking large chunks of fish like this really makes the soup.
Fish should just be cooked through and not at all flaky. So be careful not to overcook it.
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy trying these…
Pan seared sea bass with chorizo
Authentic Fish Tacos
Seafood pancakes
Fish Stew Normandy Style
Ingredients
Instructions
The wok and pot used to make this dish were supplied by my friends at Le Creuset. I used the wok for ease but this dish could really be made with the large cast iron pot on its own. Le Creuset cookware makes cooking a lot more fun!
I hope you enjoy this Normandy style seafood stew recipe. If you do try it, please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.