This Smoky Seafood Stew is a favorite among Cape Codders looking for something warm and delicious on a cold winter night. It's a soulful combination of cod or haddock fillets, littleneck clams, and mussels swimming in a smoky tomato broth that's seasoned with paprika and red pepper flakes. You can taste the complexity of flavors in every spoonful - the brininess of the shellfish, the richness of the fish, and the depth of the broth that's fortified with a splash of white wine.

To make this dish, you start by sautéing onions, shallots, and garlic in olive oil until they're fragrant and translucent. Then, you add the smoky paprika and red pepper flakes to create a robust flavor base that's enhanced by fresh thyme sprigs. Next, you pour in the white wine and diced tomatoes and let it simmer for a few minutes before dropping in the clams, fish, and mussels. Once the shellfish are open and the fish is cooked, you're ready to dig in!

When serving, make sure you have plenty of toasted baguette slices on hand to soak up every drop of the luscious broth. A sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a pop of color and flavor to the dish. It's a satisfying and comforting meal that's perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Smoky Seafood Stew

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. cod or haddock fillets
• 18 littleneck clams
• 18 mussels
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsps smoked paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 28 oz. cans diced or whole tomatoes
• Kosher or sea salt & black pepper
• Fresh parsley, minced
• Crusty baguette, toasted

Preparation:

• Warm the olive oil on medium-low heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the minced onion, shallot and garlic. Saute gently for a minute or two until translucent.
• Stir in the smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and thyme. Add the wine and simmer for just a minute, then add the tomatoes. Bust up the tomatoes if they're whole. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes while you scrub the clams and mussels in cold water. If the mussels have "beards", just firmly pull htem against the shell to cut them off.
• Cut the fish fillets in big, thick medallions or chunks, and salt and pepper them generously. Drop the clams into the post first. Once the clams just begin to open, lay in the monkfish pieces and poke them down gently into the bubbling stew. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the mussels and cover until the shellfish open and the fish is cooked up and firm. Serve in big, wide bowls with minced parsley and toasty baguette to sop up all the savory stew.

Recipe Courtesy of Mac’s Seafood. All rights reserved.

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About Our Partner Mac's Seafood

As the founder of Mac’s Seafood on Cape Cod, Mac has made it his life’s work to source and serve fresh, high-quality seafood in his restaurants and markets every season of the year - so you know the scallops, swordfish, littlenecks, and oysters on your plate didn’t travel far to get there.

“You can count on us to know where your fish comes from,” says Mac. That’s our commitment. That’s why we do what we do every day. In fact, the Wellfleet Oysters I use in this stuffing are farmed by local shellfishermen right down the street from my house. So give this recipe a try, you’ll make the seafood lovers around your table VERY happy.”