Shellfish stew Recipe
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 125ml/4fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head fennel, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 star anise
- 300ml/10fl oz white wine
- 2 x 400g tins tomatoes
- 200g/7oz brown crabmeat, puréed in a food processor until very smooth
- 1 small sourdough loaf, cut into small cubes
- 1 x 750g/1lb10z cooked small lobster, meat extracted and cut into pieces
- 3 x 75g/2¾oz pollock fillets, skin left on
- 1 x 350g/12oz whole mackerel, cut into large chunks
- 12 raw tiger prawns, shells left on
- 1kg/2lb 4oz mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded (discard any mussels that do not close tightly when tapped)
- freshly ground black pepper
- basil, to garnish
- crusty bread, to serve
- Preheat the oven to its highest setting.
- Place the onion, garlic, 75ml/2½fl oz of the olive oil, the fennel, fennel seeds, star anise and half of the white wine into a large ovenproof casserole. Stir well then cook in the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until the vegetables have just softened.
- Stir the tomatoes and crabmeat into the casserole and return to the oven for a further 4-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, scatter the cubes of bread into a roasting tray and drizzle with the remaining oil, mixing well to coat the bread.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and add the croutons, toasting for 2-3 minutes until just browned.
- Stir the lobster meat, pollock, mackerel, prawns and mussels into the casserole and season well with pepper. Remove the croutons and return the casserole to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through (discard any mussels that remain closed).
- To serve, sprinkle the croutons over the shellfish stew, garnish with the basil, then serve at the table with crusty bread.
