When scrubbing mussels, tap the shells and discard any mussels that do not immediately close. After cooking, discard any that have not opened.
ingredients
serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 green pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips
1/4 pint water
14 ounce tinned chopped tomatoes
1/2 pint fish or vegetable stock
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 level teaspoon mild chilli powder
1/2 level teaspoon each dried oregano, thyme and marjoram
1 bay leaf
16 fresh mussels, well scrubbed and scraped clean
1/2 pound haddock, skinned, boned and cut into cubes
5 ounce fresh scallops, cleaned
1/2 pound freshwater shrimps, peeled and de-veined
8 large unpeeled cooked shrimps to garnish
2 level tablespoons chopped fresh parsley to garnish
method
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Stir in the onion, garlic, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the water and cook over a moderate heat for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to colour.
2. Add the tomatoes, remaining water, stock, wine, chilli powder, dried herbs and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Put in the mussels and simmer for 1 minute. Mix in the haddock, scallops and raw shrimps. Cook over a low heat for 3 - 5 minutes, until the mussels have opened.
4. Discard the bay leaf and garnish the stew with the unpeeled shrimps and chopped parsley before taking to the table.
5. Serve this hearty stew in bowls with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the juices. A cucumber salad afterwards refreshes the palate.
You can use cod or halibut in place of the haddock, and frozen rather than fresh peeled shrimps; these need only be rinsed, not thawed, before being put in the stew.
