Fresh Mussel and Quahog Stew

There's nothing like fresh Maine Mussels and Quahogs. Use them in a stew and you have an amazing meal to be enjoyed by the whole family. Be sure to have some bread for dipping! I found the recipe, courtesy of Alison from Two of a Kind.

INGREDIENTS

Broth:

  • 4 quarts water
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 6 stalks celery, cut into 1" pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup black peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Stew:

  • 1 pound Quahogs, scrubbed and rinsed
  • 2 pounds Maine mussels, scrubbed, debearded and rinsed
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 6 stalks celery, diced
  • 5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • fresh cilantro (for topping, optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the broth:

  1. Place all broth ingredients (water through cayenne pepper) in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve; discard vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns.

Make the stew:

  1. Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add clams and mussels and cook until they open. Turn off heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the clams and mussels to a large bowl and discard any that are unopened. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
  2. When clams and mussels are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and set aside; leave some intact for garnish, if desired.
  3. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then add wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add 4 cups prepared broth and clam and mussel meat and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve immediately.
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