I prefer to use fresh Gulf seafood and organic produce and eggs, as well as read labels to avoid gluten due to my 2018 allergy diagnosis. However, you can follow this recipe as is with what is available to you, and it will be just as delicious.

Gulf Seafood Stew

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounces Flounder filets
• 16 (21/25) count Gulf shrimp
• 8 ounces lump crabmeat
• 16 Gulf oysters
• 8 slices Bacon, small dice (really like Benton bacon for the smoky flavor)
• 8 ounces Conecuh Sausage, small dice
• 4 ounces butter
• 1 pint yellow onion, small dice
• 1 cup celery, small dice
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, small dice
• 1/4 cup garlic, minced
• 4 ounces flour, all purpose (use rice flour or skip this step and thicken with corn starch at the end of the cooking if gluten free)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tomatoes, small dice
• 6 cups shrimp stock
• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, small dice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 ounces Tabasco hot sauce
• 1 ounce Lea & Perrins
• 1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s or similar Creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 4 eggs
• 2 ounces green onions, chopped

Preparation

Add diced bacon and sausage to a 3 quart heavy-bottom pot, on med-high heat. Once bacon is crispy and sausage is browned, add the butter, onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook while stirring until onions are translucent.

Turn heat down to medium, add flour and tomato paste, stirring often to make sure the bottom does not burn. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and add shrimp stock, diced tomatoes, and diced potatoes. Stir well to make sure nothing is sticking on the bottom of the pot.

Add bay leaves, red pepper flakes, thyme, hot sauce, Lea & Perrins, black pepper, and Tony Chachere’s. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked.

Turn up heat to a low boil, then place shrimp, fish, and a cracked eggs (don’t stir or they will scramble) in boiling stew. Once shrimp and fish are cooked ( about 2-3 minutes) and the egg is poached but with a raw yolk, add the oysters and crabmeat. Boil for 10 seconds, turn off heat, remove from heat, and scoop into 4 large bowls, distributing the seafood and eggs evenly. Top with chopped green onions. Serve with bread for dipping.

(Recipe adapted from & photo by EatAlabamaSeafood)