A classic Italian-American seafood stew featuring a variety of fresh fish and shellfish in a savory, saffron-scented tomato broth. Built on a rich homemade stock with a hint of fennel and spice, it’s a deep and flavorful coastal classic.
0 Prep the Seafood: Peel the shrimp and reserve the shells for the stock. Remove the halibut skin in one piece and reserve it for the broth. Put the shrimp and halibut back into the refrigerator until ready to sear.
1 Make the Seafood Stock: Preheat a cassadou pan with olive oil. Add the reserved shrimp shells and peppercorns. Deglaze with ½ cup white wine. Add onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and water. Simmer covered for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discard the solids, and reserve the liquid.
2 Build the Base: Preheat a dutch oven on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add olive oil and pancetta. Sauté on medium-low for 5 minutes. Add the minced onion and shallots. Sauté for 5 minutes.
3 Sauté the Aromatics: Add tomato paste, Calabrian chili paste, saffron, fennel, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook on medium for 5 minutes. Pour in 1 cup white wine to deglaze.
4 Simmer the Broth: Add the crushed tomatoes, seafood stock, and reserved halibut skin. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
5 Make the Garlic Bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). While the broth simmers, combine the butter, garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Spread onto the ciabatta slices. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
6 Sear the Seafood: Heat a pan over medium-high with olive oil and sear one type at a time, working from longest to shortest and adding a little oil between batches as needed. Start with the salmon, skin-side down for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crisp, flip, and cook 2 to 4 minutes to 145°F (63°C). Sear the halibut 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and it flakes, to 145°F (63°C). Sear the scallops 1 to 2 minutes per side until a golden crust forms and they reach 145°F (63°C). Sear the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque. Set all seared seafood aside. Do not add it to the broth.
7 Cook the Mussels: Remove and discard the halibut skin from the broth. Add the tarragon, 2 tbsp butter, and mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that stay closed.
8 Assemble: Ladle the broth and mussels into bowls. Arrange the seared salmon, scallops, shrimp, and halibut on top. Garnish with black pepper and chives. Serve with the garlic oregano bread.
