Up the flavor of traditional bouillabaisse with Andouille sausage, corn, and potatoes

Low Country Bouillabaisse Recipe

 

Bouillabaisse is popular dish served in fine restaurants around the world. It is a hearty seafood stew filled with any variety of shellfish and fish. Low Country Boil (also known as Frogmore Stew), is a classic seafood soup from the South. Combine the two, and you have a true winner! This Southern favorite would be perfect for Mardi Gras or any time of the year.

The Author Says: “This recipe is our version of Frogmore Stew, which is a traditional shrimp boil indigenous to John’s Island, South Carolina, just south of Charleston. Traditionally, shrimp, smoked sausage, potatoes, and corn are boiled with bay leaves in water and served family style. For Mama’s Boy, we jazzed it up a bit by adding additional locally caught shellfish and fish, fresh herbs, and steaming in an aromatic stock made from the shells of the shrimp.” — Greer Fredericks, Mama’s Boy Southern Table & Refuge, South Norwalk, Connecticut

Low Country Bouillabaisse Recipe

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved

Shrimp Stock:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
1/2 cup white wine
5 cups water

Bouillabaisse:
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, quartered and roasted
3 Tablespoons olive oil, or as needed, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ears fresh corn
1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 pound lean, white-fleshed fish fillets, such as red snapper or cod, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound smoked sausage, such as Andouille, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 slices crusty bread, toasted

To make the shrimp stock: Heat the oil in a 14-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring often, until the shells turn opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and paprika and stir until well combined. Add the wine and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a saucepan, discarding any solids, and reserve.

To make the roasted potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes in a small bowl with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil and toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan in one layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast, stirring occasionally, until fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside for the bouillabaisse.

Cook the corn in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch rounds. Set aside.

Reheat the reserved stock in saucepan until hot. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-size stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the clams, cover, and cook, shaking the pot occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the mussels, cover, and cook, shaking the pot occasionally, for 3 minutes. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add the hot stock, fish, shrimp, sausage, roasted potatoes, and butter and bring to a simmer. Add the corn and parsley, cover, and steam over medium-high heat until the shellfish open and the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard any shells that do not open.

Divide the fish mixture evenly among six large bowls, ladle over the broth, and serve with crusty bread.

Yield: 6 servings

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The Connecticut Farm Table CookbookRecipe Source: “The Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook: 150 Homegrown Recipes from the Nutmeg State by Tracey Medeiros and Christy Colasurdo (Countryman Press)
Reprinted with express permission.

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