THE CHEF FROM HELL

While researching various American Regional dishes over the years, I've noticed not only their unique flavors and cooking techniques, but their similarities as well.  Today's recipe, a fish stew from Virginia called Muddle, is a good example of this.  In South Carolina, the favorite stew (or soup) is Brunswick Stew, in Louisiana there's Gumbo, in Ketucky they favor their Burgoo; as the culinary diversity of these dishes celebrates these various regions, their similarities reveal that they also belong to the single entity known as American Regional cuisine. 

Ingredients:

3 TBS Peanut Oil

2 large Spanish Onions, chopped medium coarse

2 stalks Celery, diced

2 large Carrots, peeled & diced

1 clove fresh Garlic, diced

1 can Crushed Tomatoes (28 oz)

3 large Red Potatoes, peeled & diced

8 cups Homestyle Shrimp Stock

Note: For my stock recipe, go to Homestyle Shrimp Stock

1 lb fresh Fish Fillet, cut into 2 inch pieces

Note: I recommend using Flounder or Cod fillets.

1/2 cup diced fresh  shucked Clams

1/2 cup diced fresh shucked Oysters

Note: Many specialty seafood stores sell these two items already removed from their shells. 

2 lb fresh Shrimp, chopped coarse

Note: Use the shells in preparing the Homestyle Shrimp Stock.

Dry Spice Mix:

• 1/4 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
• 2 large Bay Leaf, crumbled up
• 1/4 tsp ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tsp Basil
• 1 pinch ground Cloves
• 1 pinch ground Nutmeg

Cooking Procedure:

Place all of the ingredients for the spice mix in a food processor

Process spices until they are a fine powder; 1 to 2 minutes

Place spice mix in a small bowl & set it aside

In a large pot, heat the peanut oil over medium high heat for 2 minutes

Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic & spice mix

Cook for several minutes, while stirring frequently

When onions have wilted & turned clear, add the crushed tomatoes & potatoes

Stir well & reduce heat to medium

Cook for 15 minutes

Add the shrimp stock

Stir well & bring this to a high simmer

Add the fish fillet, clams & oysters

Stir well & cook for  20 minutes

Add the shrimp

Stir well & cook for 10 minutes more

Serve in bowls with fresh cornbread on the side