SEAFOOD POT AU FEU

Seafood Pot au Feu image

This robust seafood stew will feed a crowd.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

2 1-pound lobsters
2 small leeks, white and light-green parts only
3 medium carrots, peeled
1 celery stalk, peeled to remove strings
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 -inch dice
1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
8 thyme sprigs
4 tarragon sprigs
1 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
4 whole canned tomatoes, broken up
10 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
12 sea scallops (3/4 pound), cleaned
1 pound halibut or other firm white fish, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 bunch watercress, leaves only
2 tablespoons sauternes (optional)

Steps:

Bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Add lobsters, cover, and cook 3 minutes; drain. Hold lobsters with a towel and twist off tails and claws. Remove meat from tails and claws; refrigerate. Reserve lobster shells and bodies.
Cut 1 leek into 1/4 inch dice; let stand in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. Lift out of water; drain. Chop 1 carrot, celery, half the fennel, and 1 clove garlic into 1/4 inch dice.
Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped leek, onion, carrot, celery, fennel, garlic, fennel seeds, 6 sprigs thyme, and tarragon; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lobster shells and bodies; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add wine, bay leaf, tomatoes, parsley, and 8 cups water. Raise heat to high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer until very flavorful, 1 hour.
Meanwhile, halve remaining leek and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place in a bowl of water for 5 minutes; lift out of water and drain. Slice remaining carrots into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks. Cut remaining fennel into 1/4-inch dice. Using the side of a knife, smash remaining garlic clove; set vegetables aside.
Remove stock from heat and strain, pressing on solids. Discard solids.
Melt remaining 2 teaspoons butter in a large shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, carrots, fennel, garlic, remaining 2 sprigs of thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add stock; raise heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, slice lobster-tail meat into medallions but leave claw meat whole; set aside. Add scallops and halibut to stock; adjust heat to maintain bare simmer and poach for about 1 minute. Add lobster meat, adjust heat again, and poach until fish is opaque and lobster is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard garlic clove and thyme sprigs. Stir in watercress and sauternes, if using. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 236 g, Cholesterol 86 g, Fat 5 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 34 g, Sodium 417 g