Recipes

Seafood and Sausage Sofrito

Christopher Cryer

Seamore's, NYC

Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
6 ounces sliced dry Spanish chorizo 
8 cloves thinly sliced garlic 
1 cup finely diced Spanish onion 
1/4 cup Indian lime pickle
1 1/2 pounds heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, chopped 
2 cups diced eggplant (about 2 eggplants)
Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 pound small marble potatoes, quartered (or any small multi-colored potatoes)
1 cup tomato juice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound de-bearded and washed mussels 
8 ounces pollock fillet
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 ounces aged goat cheese
Charred bread for serving 

Method

In a large pan, add the olive oil and slowly render the sliced chorizo over low heat until you start to see the spices bleed into the oil and become slightly red, about 3 minutes. 

Raise the heat to medium and quickly add the garlic, onions, and lime pickle. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions and garlic have softened and colored lightly. 

Add in the tomatoes and eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until they start soften. Add the rice wine vinegar to deglaze the pan. Add the potatoes, tomato juice, and chicken stock, and turn the heat down to low. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes, making sure to stir frequently—the goal is to cook the potatoes and to prevent the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. 

After the potatoes have softened, add the mussels, pollock, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer until the mussels open and the pollock starts to flake, about 3 minutes. Divide the stew, mussels, and flaked fish between serving dishes. 

Serve with aged goat cheese and charred bread alongside.

Yield

4 to 6 servings