Fishmonger’s Stew
It may have gone gourmet and for some it is a pursuit of a passion. The act of cooking has transformed into an art but at its core everyone is still just trying to eat. The first foods were comprised of what was available. If you lived by the sea, chances are you ate from the sea. Even recently local foods played a large role in what your diet consisted of. You would be hard pressed to find a vegetarian in a butcher’s family, an apple farmer would almost always have pies available and a fishmonger’s family enjoyed the bounty of the sea.
At another time in my life I was the latter, a fishmonger. Our experiences shape us and from a young age I was around fish. No, I was not following in my family’s footsteps but I have been watching trout being cleaned since I was 5. From having waves crash into the side of our little fishing boat to sipping hot chocolate on a frozen lake in February, the occasional fishing trip was a familiar activity.
As August comes to an end most of us try to get away to have one last blast of summer life before we sink back into our lives of school or work. Growing up our escape was typically to one of two places. Visiting family several hours north of Toronto, or visiting a small cabin, again several hours outside of the city. As life gets in the way my fishing trips became less and less frequent however seafood in the summer is one tradition that I do not see ending any time soon.
Ingredients:
200g. peeled and deveined shrimp
100g. 20/30 scallops
1 potato, cubed, skin on
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup corn kernels
2 shoots green onion, chopped
haddock and sole – 1 fillet each, cubed
16 oz. clam juice
8 oz. water
2 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. thyme
Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Brown onions.
Add pepper, thyme, clam juice, water and potato; cover until liquid boils.
Introduce scallops, fish and shrimp; cover and boil for 5 minutes.
Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed.
OPTIONAL: Add grated marble cheese if desired.