Baby, it’s cold outside and by cold I mean 6 degrees. You walk outside and you feel like a popsicle for sure! It is weather like this that makes me crave comfort food and especially stew. Stew is so comforting with it’s rich, thick broth and crisp veggies. Add meat or seafood in it and you have a meal that will stick to your ribs.

Seafood Stew with Farro is an amazing way to warm up your bones and comfort you. Just imagine leaving the snow, cold and wet outside while you curl up with your favorite blanket and enjoy this stew. It takes a while to prepare and quite a few ingredients but the taste is out of this world and completely worth it. (pssst- you can leave out the octopus if you want)

When making stew you need a good stock pot and one of my favorites is the All-Clad d5 Stainless Steel 6 qt Stock Pot.

The All-Clad 6-Quart Stockpot is ideal for making stock, soups, and stews and for preparing food in large quantities. The pot’s wide bottom allows for sautéing ingredients before adding liquids. This stockpot is constructed with bonded stainless steel around an aluminum core for exceptional heating, even in induction cooking. The lid lets you control evaporation as you cook. Its stick-resistant, 18/10 stainless steel interior and easy-to-grip loop handles will make this an essential tool for your kitchen.

Seafood Stew with Farro:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds octopus

1 quart water

1 cup Anson Mills Piccolo farro

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced yellow onion

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 1/4 tablespoon red pepper flake

1/2 cup diced fennel

1/2 cup sliced leeks

1/2 cup peeled and diced butternut squash

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup dry white wine that you would want to drink

1 1/2 cup San Marzano tomatoes or your own preserved tomatoes and their juice

1 quart chicken stock

3 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black peppercorns

15 clams

15 shrimp

1/4 cup basil

1/4 cup parsley

1 lemon

1/2 thinly sliced baguette

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

Directions:

Preheat the Oven to 350° F

 

For the Octopus:

Place the octopus in a 4-quart casserole/soup pot. Fill it with water until it covers about 1/2 of the octopus. Put the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 4 1/2 hours or until the octopus is easily pierced with a knife. Once the octopus is tender, remove it from the liquid and let it cool. Once it is cool enough to handle, using gloves, remove the outer, darker skin. Then remove the head of the octopus with a knife. Cut the octopus in half, lengthwise and then chop into large chunks. Set aside.

 

For the Farro:

Fill an All-Clad 2–quart saucepot with the water and bring to a boil. Wisk in the farro and cook until al dente, about 15 or 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside.

 

For the Stew:

Melt butter over low heat, using an All-Clad 5-quart sauté and simmer pan. Add onions and caramelize, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. The onions should develop a nice, golden-brown color. Then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, fennel, leeks, squash, and celery and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce the liquid by half. Then add the farro, the tomatoes and their juice, the chicken stock, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Add the clams. After 5 to 7 minutes, the clams will begin to open. Then add the reserved octopus and shrimp. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes and discard any unopened clams. Finish with basil, parsley, and the juice of half of the lemon. Remove from heat.

 

To Garnish:

Rub the baguette slices with garlic and olive oil. Toast in the oven at 350° F for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish in the sauté pan with the baguette slices and 4 rounds of thinly sliced lemon.

Google+ Comments