How to make Ligurian Seafood Stew.
For the seafood, I seared the scallops, and shrimp but broiled the flounder. I steamed the mussels with a little olive oil, and heated the jumbo lump crabmeat in butter so every item would retain its flavor!
The sauce started with the juices left from cooking the mussels. Adding basil and saffron seemed like a good choice to bring the flavors together.
I have to tell you, it’s hard to surprise myself with something I cooked, but this dish was incredible if I do say so myself, the only thing I would have changed would have been my choice of pasta, I used pappardelle, and a thinner noodle would have gone better with this dish.
If you’re looking for additional ways to get the most out of your seafood check out my Frutti de Mare, Bouillabaisse, and Paella!
If you’ve tried my Ligurian Seafood Stew or any other recipe on askchefdennis.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @chefdenniseats and @chefdennistravels, Twitter and Facebook.
Ligurian Seafood Stew with a Basil Saffron Creme Sauce
Ingredients
Seafood
- 4 oz flounder or fish of your choice
- 4 oz shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 oz Sea Scallops
- 1/2 lb mussels
- 1/4 lb jumbo lump or lump crabmeat
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 bulb fennel sliced sliced
- 2 stalks celery stew cut
- 2 carrots stew cut
- 2 potatoes stew cut
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 onion stew cut
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt and black pepper
Basil -saffron cream sauce
- 1 tbsp chopped basil
- pinch of saffron threads
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 pound of linguine or spaghetti
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cook pasta al dente per instruction on box, then set aside
Roasted Vegetables
- cut vegetables and place in roasting pan with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat with oil and seasonings
- roast for 20-25 minutes
Seafood
- place flounder on baking pan drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper, add a little water to the pan and bake for 20 minutes
- add mussels to saute pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil, cover with lid or another pan and allow to steam open (about 8 minutes)
- let mussels cool then remove from shells and place in a bowl, and discard shells, but save the juices in the pan!
- add heavy cream, 3/4 of the basil, and the saffron to the mussels juices, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, allow sauce to reduce by 1/3
- get a saute pan very hot with a little oil and sear the scallops until you get some crusting for color, cook on each side and remove from pan.
- Sear shrimp until almost done, remove from pan
- In another saute pan, gently heat the crabmeat
Bring it all together
- timing is everything with this dish, vegetables, and flounder should be done.
- reheat pasta in a pan with a little olive oil or return to boiling water briefly, which ever method you prefer.
- Place scallops, shrimp, and mussels in saute pan and reheat gently but quickly, in just a little oil or water.
- take the butter and roll it in the flour to make a beurre manie and place in the sauce to finish thickening*
Assemble
- Place pasta in a mound at the bottom of a bowl or center of a plate
- place roasted vegetables around outside pasta
- place flounder in center of pasta
- pour sauce over flounder, splitting it evenly between the two dishes
- place scallops and shrimp around the flounder
- sprinkle with remaining basil and serve immediately!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
What an incredible meal! Love your tips on getting more seafood at home. I always buy frozen shrimp too, but wasn’t sure that was the best way – now I know! I am going to have to buy scallops that way too; i have avoided them because of the cost of fresh ones up until now!
Inessa
This looks soo delicious! Love all the ingredients you used. I will deft try this dish. thanks for sharing. 🙂 I will be back to your site for some more Delish recipes!!!!
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Dennis, I’m going to casually leave your blog post open for hubby to see as a hint: I LOVE eating out and would do anything for you to be able to serve me this for a change. Other than that, you’ve posted the recipe – looks fabulous. If I’m not taken out, high time hubby cooked for a real change!
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The stew looks wonderful… but adding the saffron cream would make it divine… must try this combo, Dennis!
Culinary Cache
This is a fabulous recipe, I love your use of saffron, which as we know sets off seafood incredibly well. I also love the variety of seafood used in this dish. Absolutely beautiful one I will have to try soon!
deniz
thanks dannıs
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As I eye this, I wish my husband liked seafood but alas, he doesn’t. So that means…. MORE FOR ME!!! Cause there is no way I’m NOT making this because he won’t eat it. I’ll just make him something else 😀
FreeSpiritEater
Wow Chef! I could devour the entire pot of this seafood stew, it looks sooo decadent! Thanks for sharing such a drool inducing dish. Have a great night =]
Kath
This looks like a great choice for Valentine’s Day! <3
Happy When Not Hungry
This stew looks fabulous! Just love fresh seafood. Yum!
Susan
This sounds wonderful and I love all your advice about buying frozen, etc. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Deanna
I love the increase in IQF fish available. The stuff frozen at sea is especially good. I normally have really good luck with Costco, and I think all of their fish has the MSC logo. Anyways, this sounds amazing, and I will have to start procuring ingredients.
Dara
Love it. Here in New England, we take great pride in our fresh seafood, so it’s about time I started to take advantage of that!
Charlie
OH CHEF!
I want that stew!
Oh my goodness, I have seen so many awesome dishes from you…..
But this takes the cake.
I’m in awe!
I’m rendered speechless in that I just can’t describe the depth of my feelings looking at this picture.
Charlie
RavieNomNoms
WOW chef! Bravo, that looks really amazing!
Sprigs of Rosemary
I’ve been trying to cook more seafood at home and have had a lot of success with IQF items. When I get the chance to buy fresh seafood, though, I’m in heaven. This stew looks absolutely heavenly — the basil saffron sauce is pure genius!
I do have some saffron in the pantry, and I think I don’t use it because it’s so precious, but I better soon. I was going to make a paella but this is much more intriguing!
Kiri W.
This looks beyond delicious – I love pretty much anything from the sea and would adore a plate of this. And your photography is amazing! My mouth is watering just looking at this.
Mari @ Mari's Cakes
A great and scrumptious recipe. I would love this for my anniversary dinner coming up soon!
Have a blessed day Dennis 🙂
Nicole, RD
I’m thrilled to not only find a seafood dish you rave about, but the tips on buying seafood! We have a Cost Co membership and I’m going to start looking there for seafood. And it’s great to know that frozen is JUST fine 🙂 Thanks, Chef!
Jenny @ Savour the Senses
Ah this looks soo delicious! I just moved to Hawaii and am so excited to experience all the great seafood!
Alyssa
I’ve forgotten how much I miss scallops until I looked at your photos. Scallops (good ones at least) are hard to come by here, so it’s been months since I’ve had them. I think I may need to go out this weekend and scout some out, be it in a grocery store or restaurant. Your stew looks absolutely beautiful!
Elin
I cant stop drooling..you have me craving for seafood pasta now ! 🙂 Yours look delicious and I am sure Lisa is happy when you cook dinner :p Have a nice day Chef and I have bookmarked this !
anne
I just love that dish ! I usually buy frozen fish as it’s 2-3 times cheaper than fresh one and dressed it up with any veggies I have on hand 😉
Hyosun Ro
My family loves seafood, and I buy my shrimp and scallop mostly at Costco (no Sam’s Club near me). This basil saffron creme sauce sounds amazing with the seafood and roasted vegetables!
Kristi Rimkus
Hi Chef! I find the same situation at home. In order to save money, I need to use what I have on hand in as many dishes as possible. I always learn something new when I visit your blog, and was happy to hear that frozen shrimp is just fine. It’s often most affordable. I watch the brand I buy to make sure the shrimp is farmed in a sustainable manner. I’ve saved this recipe for the weekend. I will have one happy husband. Enjoy the rest of your week. 🙂
Kim Bee
Okay mister I don’t even like seafood and I’m drooling. I may need to retry some when mini-me is not around. See if my grown up buds have developed or not.
Foodness Gracious
This looks just like something I would order. I love seafood and the combo is perfect. I try to buy non frozen scallops just because I find the water the frozen ones retain makes them sweat in the pan, even at a crazy high heat for searing, any tips on this issue Chef?
Thanks…
Chef D
your absolutely right about the scallops, and about the only way to get a good sear is to leave to try and towel dry them a bit, and make sure your pan is really hot, again with minimal oil, or in fact just oiling the scallops. Sear for color only and finish cooking them in the oven.
The real trick to scallops as with all seafood is finding that point where its just done cooking, especially with frozen seafood, that also helps it retain as much moisture as possible!
Laura @ Family Spice
You had me at “seafood!” We do Costco and I’m always impressed with seafood they offer, especially their giant scallops – melt-in-your mouth like butter quality. Your dish looks superb!