Normandy Fish Stew Recipes

NORMANDY FISH STEW

Steps:

• Place mussels and cider or wine in a wide, shallow pan. Cover and place on a high heat for 3-4 mins, shaking pan a few times until mussels have opened. Tip into a colander over a bowl to catch the juices. Discard any that have not opened.
• Place the pan back on the heat with a large knob of butter. Sizzle the leeks for 8 mins until soft, then add the mushrooms. Add the mussel cooking liquid and crème fraîche and bubble down for 5 mins to reduce by half. Turn down the heat and add the fish. Cover and gently poach for 10 mins until cooked, then carefully lift out. Stir through the mussels and parsley and heat through.
• If you want, place the fish back in the pan to serve from the table or place a piece of fish in each serving bowl and spoon everything else around it. Delicious served with boiled waxy potatoes, such as Pink Fir Apple.

NORMANDY SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Combine mussels, wine, 1 chopped onion and parsley stems in copper or stainless steel casserole. Cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook just until mussels open, shaking pan often, about 8 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Strain and reserve cooking liquid, adding water if necessary to make 2 cups total. Transfer mussels to large bowl; remove meat from shell. Reserve meat; discard shells.
• Melt butter in same casserole over medium heat. Add remaining chopped onion, leeks and fennel. Saute until onion and fennel are translucent and leeks are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add reserved cooking liquid, fish stock and bouquet garni. Simmer until vegetables are tender and liquid has reduced by about 1/3, about 20 minutes. Add fish and scallops. Cook until fish and scallops are almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer fish and scallops to warm bowl. Discard bouquet garni.
• Whisk creme fraiche and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup seafood cooking liquid. Whisk cream mixture back into seafood cooking liquid in casserole. Cook until liquid thickens just slightly, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Add mussels, fish, scallops and any accumulated juices from bowl to casserole. Cook just until seafood is heated through. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and lemon peel. Cook 2 minutes longer.
• Ladle stew into bowls and serve immediately.
• NOTE: Use parsley stems, fresh thyme branches and dried bay leaves for the bouquet garni.

NORMANDY-STYLE PORK STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Season pork with salt and pepper. Melt butter in an ovenproof braiser pan, large straight-sided skillet, or wide, shallow pot over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add pork and cook, turning a few times, until browned all over, 10 to 12 minutes (do not crowd pan; brown in two batches if necessary). Transfer to a plate.
• Add bacon and shallots to pan; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring a few times, until bacon renders its fat and shallots turn golden brown in places, 6 to 8 minutes. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pan. Sprinkle evenly with flour, stir, and cook 1 minute. Add bay leaf and cider; boil 1 minute. Add broth and return to a boil.
• Cover and transfer to oven; braise 45 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery, cover, and return to oven until pork is fork-tender and carrots are tender but still holding their shape, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in crème fraîche and Dijon. Top with herbs; serve with more crème fraîche and Dijon.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH FENNEL AND THYME

Steps:

• Combine mussels, 1 1/4 cups onions, wine, and 8 parsley sprigs in large pot; bring to boil. Cover and cook until mussels open, shaking pot often, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl to cool (discard any mussels that do not open). Strain cooking liquid into large measuring cup; discard vegetables in strainer. Add enough water to cooking liquid to measure 2 cups total. Remove mussels from shells if desired.
• Melt butter in same large pot over medium heat. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups onions, leeks, and fennel and sauté until leeks are soft, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add reserved mussel cooking liquid, 4 parsley sprigs, clam juice, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender and liquid has reduced by 1/3, about 25 minutes. Add halibut and scallops to broth and simmer until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer halibut and scallops to bowl. Discard parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
• Whisk crème fraîche and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in 1/2 cup hot cooking liquid from pot. Gradually stir yolk mixture into stew. Cook over medium heat until liquid thickens slightly, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes (do not allow mixture to boil). Return halibut, scallops, and mussels to pan. Cook until halibut is heated through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed shallow bowls.
• *Crème fraîche is sold at some supermarkets. If unavailable, heat 1 cup whipping cream to lukewarm (85°F). Remove from heat and mix in 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Cover and let stand in warm, draft-free area until slightly thickened, 24 to 48 hours, depending on temperature of room. Refrigerate until ready to use.