Recipes, Recipes - Pinot Gris

Seafood Stew with Saffron Aioli

I love this big Seafood Stew for a party. It never fails to please. It is lovely with Pinot gris and, like many dishes, equally scrumptious with Pinot noir. I serve it in wide flat bowls and float a crostini which has a good sized dollop of the Saffron Aioli on it, in the middle. I love the Aioli so much that I also pass it at the table, in case people want extra.

Seafood Stock

2 tablespoons olive oil
Shells from one pound large shrimp
2 cups chopped onions
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme (I used dried and marjoram)

Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook two minutes more. Add 1 and 1/2 quarts of water, the wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and herbs. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for one hour. Strain, pressing the solids. You should have one quart of stock. If not, make up the difference with water or wine.

Seafood Stew

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 and 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cups large diced small potatoes
2 cups chopped fennel
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups white wine
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 quart fish stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks (I used salmon and snapper)
2 pounds mussels

Heat oil in a dutch oven or stock pot. Add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for 15 minutes until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits. Add the tomatoes with their juice, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Refrigerate at this point if you want to serve it later. Re-warm if necessary, then add all the fish, bring to a boil and then lower the heat, cover and cook five minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, covered, for another 5 minutes. Stir in salt to taste.

Saffron Aioli

Any leftover mayo can be used as a sandwich spread or a dip for crudites. I use a food processor or a blender for ease of preparation. Don’t think that using all olive oil will make a better sauce — it will only make it unappetizingly heavy.

1 large egg, at room temprature
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup canola oil

1. In a blender, combine the garlic, lemon juice, saffron, salt and red pepper and pulse to blend. In a glass measuring cup, combine the oils. With the motor running, slowly add the oils to the egg mixture, blending until thickened.

Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.