Fisherman’s Stew

Light seafood in a creamy sauce makes an irresistible casserole to cheer dreary days. This is especially good with lots of warm crusty bread to mop up every last drop.

Ingredients:
500 gr (1¼ lb) mussels
3 onions
2 garlic cloves, sliced
300 ml (½ pint) (1¼ cups) fish stock
12 scallops
450 gr (1 lb) cod fillet
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 large potato, about 200 gr (7 oz)
few springs of fresh thyme, chopped
1 red and 1 green (bell) pepper
120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
250 ml (1 cup) créme fraiche
275 gr (10 oz) raw pealed prawns (shrimp)
75 gr (3 oz) (¾ cup) grated mature Cheddar cheese
salt and ground black pepper
fresh thyme springs, to garnish

Directions:
Clean the mussels, removing any beards. Discard any that stay open when tapped. Rinse in cold water.
Pour water into a large, frying pan to 2.5 cm (1 in). Chop an onion and add it to the pan, with the garlic. Bring to the boil, add the mussels and cover.
Cook the mussels for 5-6 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove them as they open, discarding any that remain shut. Remove the mussels from their shells and set them aside.
Strain the cooking liquid from the mussels through a lined sieve (strainer) to remove any sand. Make up the liquid with fish stock to 300 ml (½ pint) (1¼ cups).
If you have bought scallops in their shells, open them: hold a scallop shell in the palm of your hand, with the flat side uppermost. Insert the blade of a knife across the inside of the flat shell to cut away the scallop. Only the white adductor muscle and the orange coral are eaten, so pull away and discard all other parts. Rinse the scallops under cold running water to remove any grit or sand, then put them in a bowl and set them aside.
Cut the cod into large cubes and put it in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set side.
Cut the remaining onions into small wedges. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion wedges for 2-3 minutes. Slice the potato about 1 cm (½ in) thick and add to the pan with the fresh chopped thyme. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the potato has softened.
Core the peppers, remove the cores and seeds, then dice the flesh. Add to the onion and potato mixture and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the mixed mussel and fish stock, with the wine and créme fraiche.
Bring to just below boiling point, then add the cod and scallops. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the prawns. Simmer for a further 3-4 minutes more, until all the seafood is cooked. Stir in the mussels and warm through for 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce if necessary. Spoon into bowls, garnish with the thyme springs and sprinkle with the cheese. Crusty bread is an ideal accompaniment.