Month: July 2023

• 2 T butter
• 4 T olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 14.5 oz stewed tomatoes
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 12 T basil, chopped
• 1 T thyme, chopped
• 1 t oregano
• 1/2 c. water (see below)
• 3/4 c. white wine
• 3/4 c. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 # bay scallops
• 20 mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 1 leg crab
• 3/4 # cod fillets, 1/2″ cube
• 1 can chopped clams

1. Melt butter and oil in a large pot. Add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly 4-5 minutes until the onioon is soft.
2. Add tomatoes (break them into chinks). Add broth, herbs, water and wine. Note: I peel the shrimp and toss the shells into a cup of water and boil that for a few minutes and strain, and use that for the water. Adds some depth. Mix, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the seafood. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer 6 minutes or until the mussels open.

Pro tip: Just like chicken noodle soup, I strain with a spoon and store the leftover broth and meat separately. The broth takes forever to warm up; if you do both at the same time your broth will be hot and your meat will be overcooked. Warm up the broth for 5-6 minutes and then toss the meat in for 1.

Rosemary focaccia, from Suzanne Dunaway’s No Need to Knead:

• 1 c. lukewarm water (85 to 95 F)
• 2 t active dry yeast
• 2 c. bread flour
• 1-1/2 t salt
• olive oil
• 2 T chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 t kosher salt

Measure the water into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in the salt and four and stir until smooth. The dough will be wet and tacky. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the dough 2 hours before shaping and let stand in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 500F. Port the olive oil into a cast iron pan and pour the dough into the pan. Brush olive oil over the top and sprinkle the top with 1 t kosher salt and the rosemary. Set aside for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 400 F and bake for 37 – 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a rack.