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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 25, 2020)
Warm up with a Th ai seafood stew BY DAVID CAMPICHE Our Columbia-Pacifi c region is a hotspot for procuring some of the best and fresh- est seafood in the country, if not the world. Many of these treasures are accessible from local markets or personal gathering. Crab is caught in the Columbia River. Squid and shrimp are harvested by neighborhood fi shers. Trout of shimmering colors swim nearby in streams and lakes. Salmon in season are a gift for fi sher- men and the recipients of a salmon dinner. When in season, razor clams can be dug on our lovely beaches. Little necks on a low tide. Need I mention oysters? Much of the country’s harvest comes from Willapa Bay. Add white fi sh: sturgeon, halibut, tuna, rock fi sh and cod. The list plays out like a trout on a line. And what can be better with this cor- nucopia of seafood than a seafood stew? I have prepared it as a fusion of sorts, with a bit of a French touch along with additional elements from an old family recipe. Strike the spices and the coconut milk and add fresh herbs (fennel is superb), orange peel and a splash of champagne (reserve the rest for dinner) and you have a bouillabaisse. So, anticipating the promise of a mouth-watering repast, let us concoct the stew with squid, scallops, mussels and shrimp, but to be sure, there are dozens of combinations, including salmon and clams. I do not generally use oysters — save those for an oyster stew or eat them raw as an appetizer. But remember: fresh is best, par- ticularly when it comes to seafood. Ingredients: • ¼ cup olive oil • One tablespoon each, fi nely chopped fresh garlic and ginger • A smattering of dried chili peppers or three whole Sichuan peppercorns • ½ large sweet onion, diced • Six stalks asparagus, cut diagonally into one inch pieces • Two stalks of celery also diagonally cut in ½ inch lengths • One teaspoon fi sh sauce • Two cups homemade stock, vegetable or seafood • Two cups tomato sauce • Few dabs of hot sauce. • ¼ cup of sweet chili sauce • One tablespoon soy sauce, • Juice from ½ lime • ½ cup red or white wine • 19 ounce can of coconut milk • Teaspoon of curry paste, added to ¼ cup The simmering stew. water • 4 cups of precooked soba noodles • ½ cup each of seafood assortment Sea- food to your liking • Four kaffi r leaves • Chopped cilantro (optional) Photos by David Campiche The fi nished dish. Preparation: Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in ¼ cup of virgin olive oil. Add celery, then the asparagus. Sauté lightly for one min- ute. Add chilis and spices and ½ cup of red wine, and then the stock. Marry in tomato sauce and curry, a splash of fi sh sauce and seasonings, then soy and lime juice. Add coconut milk. Simmer away, thinning with more stock if necessary. Do not boil. Add the kaffi r leaves. At the last minute, add the seafood and serve. Do not overcook, we want the seafood tender. Prepare the soba noodles separately in boiling water. Do not overcook. Drain. Put separately into the serving bowls. Turn off the burner. Ladle the stew over the noodles. A dollop of crème fraiche is a wonderful addition. So is Thai basil. Or garnish with a kaffi r leaf or chopped cilantro. Serves six. Home of the Bud Mentors Cultivated to Serve Come Say... MEDICAL RECREATIONAL CBD/THC • FLOWERS • EDIBLES • PREROLLS • CONCENTRATES • TOPICALS ACCESSORIES • TSHIRTS BRING IN THIS COUPON FOR 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER! expires 7/2/2020 Check out Leafly’s online ordering for curbside pick up. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults 21yrs of age and older. Keep out of reach of children. Open 7 days a week Sunday-Thursday 10a-7p Friday & Saturday 10a-8p (Hours subject to change without notice) WE M E E T AN D E XCE E D TH E CDC G U I DE LI N E S ! 193 Marine Dr. (across from the 76 Gas Station) 503.325.4078 www.hiAstoria.com THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020 // 7
