Sofitel San Francisco Bay’s executive chef Alejandro Abad presents his delectable multi-course dinner for Valentine’s day at Bay 223.
By Michelle M. Winner
Here Alejandro shares his Mediterranean and California cuisine inspired seafood stew. A perfect mélange of tender seafood and a savory broth to serve with a glass of Thomas Fogarty, Woodside, California Chardonnay perhaps? Print
Suquet de Pescado (Seafood Stew)
Chef Abad’s succulent seafood stew in a savory broth pairs well with California wines.
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
Scale
For the fish stock:
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 1 ripe tomato
- 2 garlic cloves
- 5 lbs. fish bone
- For the dish:
- 4 filets of striped bass
- 8 divers scallops
- 1 lb. clams
- 1 lb. of mussels
- 1 lb. potatoes, peeled
- 1 onion
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- For the Picada:
- 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Picada
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 slices of toasted bread
- 15 toasted hazelnuts
- 15 toasted almonds
- 1 pinch of saffron
- 1 tsp. Spanish paprika
Instructions
- In a deep pot with olive oil, place peeled carrots, onion, tomatoes and garlic to start a sofrito.
- When vegetables become soft and water has evaporated, add the fish bones and stir for one minute; then add water.
- Bring vegetables to a boil.
- Skim off any foam and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Strain and set aside.
- In a large sauce pan, cook diced onions on low heat until transparent and add grated tomatoes.
- Once water has evaporated, add in diced potatoes and stir.
- Add in fish and seafood, then stock until it covers contents of pan.
For the picada:
- Place a small sauce pan with olive oil on medium heat.
- Add chopped garlic cloves and allow to soften.
- Remove from heat.
- Lightly toast slices of bread and set aside.
- In a mortar or a blender, blend together bread, garlic, paprika, hazelnuts, almonds, olive oil and a little salt.
- Pour mixture into large sauce pan along with fish and potatoes.
- Stir together for 1 minute and add in cleaned mussels and clams.
- Once clams and mussels open, taste and add more salt if necessary.
- *Allow dish to sit for a few minutes and serve warm.
