Red Curry Seafood Stew

One of the best parts of winter is hearty soups and stews. I love to tuck into a meaty stew just as much as the next person, but all that heaviness can get to be a bit much after a while. This stew is packed with flavor, but with the seafood and spicy broth, there is a lightness to it. I love the rich flavor of red curry paste. You can buy a little can (looks like a tuna can) of red curry paste in the Thai section of almost any grocery store these days. It is inexpensive and adds a huge amount of flavor to your dish and all you had to do was have at it with a can opener. Easy! The creamy coconut broth really puts this over the top for me and it is a perfect balance to the seafood. I use shrimp, mussels, and white fish here, but you can substitute whatever you like. Salmon would be fantastic or clams or squid. Whatever you like. Give this stew a try on a cold day and it will warm you right up! Red Curry Seafood Stew (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 red pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 can red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 beer or 8 oz. seafood stock
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 lime
1 fillet firm white fish (like cod or tilapia)
1 lb. mussels
6-8 large shrimp
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
cilantro and lime (to garnish)
1. In a large, heavy-bottom pot, saute diced onions, pepper, and garlic in about 1 Tbs. vegetable oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the red curry paste and stir to combine.
3. Add the coconut milk and beer (or stock) and stir to combine well. Season with another sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add sugar and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer on low for 10-15 minutes so that the flavors develop.
4. Cut the fish fillet into 1-inch pieces and sprinkle them with salt.
5. When you are about ready to eat (this will cook up quickly) add the juice from 1/2 lime and then add the fish to the broth and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the mussels and the shrimp. Put the lid on the pot and allow to cook for another 4-5 minutes until the mussels open fully and the shrimp and fish are no longer translucent.
I like to serve this stew with lots of chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley for the cilantro averse) and slices of lime for people to add more citrus if they want.
It is not only super beautiful, it is crazy delicious. Yum!


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