For a satisfying winter dinner, seafood is hard to beat - and fast to cook.
Cold evenings need warm food, and it’s deeply satisfying to eat something that has taken some time to cook. However, cooking dinner doesn’t need to take a long time – a bowl of mussels steamed with white wine and cream will be ready to eat within 15 minutes. A meal of gently simmered seafood can cost less than a traditional Sunday roast and will take much less time to make. So, pour yourself a glass of wine or a scotch while the stew bubbles away, the paua braises, or the soufflés rise. Best of all, these dishes can be made in advance, ready to reheat.
Based loosely on something Moroccan, this fish stew has terrific base flavours that result in a blockbuster of a dish. Serve with slices of crusty bread splashed with olive oil.
FISH BRAISED WITH TOMATOES, MUSSELS AND CLAMS
6 tbsp olive oil
3 anchovy fillets
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 red capsicums, seeded and sliced
330g can whole peeled tomatoes
½ cup white wine
½ cup chicken stock
a pinch of saffron
150g toasted almonds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g firm white fish
300g mussels
300g clams
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat, then add the anchovies and onion. Fry until the onion is soft and translucent and the anchovies have changed to a paste – about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and capsicum. Cook for 10 minutes or until the capsicum is soft. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the wine, stock and saffron (infuse the saffron in the stock before using it). Add the almonds to thicken the sauce, then season with salt and pepper. Add the fish and shellfish, then cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Serve straight from the frying pan.
Serves 6.
THE SECRET TO THE incredible depth of flavour and texture of this soup, which was developed by my head chef, Stephen Mahoney, comes from the initial two-hour braising of the paua. Although it’s a long time to wait for a bowl of soup, it is well worth it.
STEPHEN’S PAUA SOUP WITH FRIED CAPERS
4 large paua, cleaned and scrubbed
1 onion, chopped
3 sticks of celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
500ml chicken stock
FOR THE SOUP
50g unsalted butter
½ onion, chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
½ leek, white only, chopped
1 bay leaf
100ml dry vermouth
100ml paua braising stock
400ml milk
400ml cream
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
Preheat the oven to 180?C. Place the onion, celery, bay leaves and paua in a deep ovenproof pot and pour over the stock. Cover with greaseproof paper and then tinfoil. First, bring the liquid to a simmer on top of the stove, then put it into the oven. Cook for 2 hours, then remove the pot from the oven. Strain and reserve the liquid. Discard the vegetables. When the paua are cool enough to handle, slice them into 5mm-thick pieces. Set aside.
To make the soup, melt the butter in a deep saucepan, then stir in the onion, celery and leek. Fry until they begin to soften, then lower the heat and add the paua and bay leaf. Pour in the vermouth and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in 100ml of the reserved braising liquid and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the milk and cream. Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat so that the soup simmers gently for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then transfer the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan and add the oil. Once it is hot, quickly sauté the capers until they pop open and then remove to a paper towel to drain. Serve the soup with a sprinkling of capers on top.
Serves 6.
BY DOUBLE BAKING SOUFFLÉS, YOU are practically guaranteed success. Although the soufflés will look a bit sad to begin with, the second baking will bring them back to life, all puffy and golden.
DOUBLE-BAKED MUSSEL SOUFFLÉ WITH PARSLEY SAUCE
600g mussels
300ml milk
100ml mussel stock (left over after
steaming the mussels open)
120g unsalted butter
45g flour
4 egg yolks
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 egg whites
1 cup white wine
2 cups cream
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180?C. Clean and beard the mussels, discarding any with broken shells. Place the mussels in a deep saucepan with a splash of water, cover with a lid and steam for 3-4 minutes – just long enough for the shells to open. Remove each mussel from its shell, then strain the stock through a sieve, and reserve. Chop the mussels. (You should have about 1 cup.)
In a separate saucepan melt the butter over a low heat, then stir in the flour and cook it until a sandy texture develops. Add 100ml of reserved mussel stock to the milk, then gradually add to the saucepan, stirring until it is smooth. Cook until it thickens – about 10 minutes. Beat in the chopped mussels, egg yolks and mustard, remove from the heat and season with the salt and pepper. This base mixture can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
When you are ready to make the soufflé, butter and flour 4 soufflé ramekins and place them in a deep roasting dish. Whisk the egg whites until they resemble soft peaks, then tip half of the whites onto the mussel mixture. Using a metal spoon, cut the whites into the mixture, rotating the bowl as you go. Add the remainder of the whites, folding them in carefully. The mixture should look light and bubbly. Quickly divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins. Place the roasting dish in the centre of the oven and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the oven and allow them to cool before turning them out.
The soufflés can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring the white wine to the boil in a small saucepan, then continue cooking until it has reduced by half. Add the cream and parsley, then bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Place the soufflés in a shallow ovenproof dish and spoon the sauce over the top. Return the soufflés to a 180?C oven for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and thickened.
Serves 4.