Welcome to 2019! If you’re anything like us, this time of year demands comfort food but also healthy food (after all, we all have a new year’s resolution to shed a few pounds). But finding recipes that indulge our need for hearty, home-cooked meals that are also high in nutrients and low in calories can be tough. So this month, we’re sharing garden member Geoff’s recipe for fresh all-season seafood stew.
The best about this recipe is that it utilizes tomatoes that Geoff grew in his garden plot this summer, as well as herbs from the PVCG community herb plot. All of these are easy to preserve, either through canning or drying, and can be enjoyed all winter long! And it uses a slow cooker, so you can prep, set and forget and just sit by while the flavorful aroma wafts through the air. (If you don’t have a slow cooker, don’t worry – this recipe can be adapted for stovetop too.)
Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Seafood Stew
Ingredients
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes OR fresh garden tomatoes, any variety 1 tablespoon tomato paste 4 cups seafood or vegetable broth 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound small white potatoes, diced 1/2 cup chopped red or white onion 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons pepper 2 pounds mussels 1 pound Tilapia, Flounder or Cod Chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
Add all ingredients—except the seafood—into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours (or low for 4-6) hours until potatoes are cooked through. Add seafood to slow cooker and return to high heat. Cook 30-60 minutes or until seafood is fully cooked. Garnish with parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
A special note from Geoff: “I also like to add fresh carrots, daikon radish and any peppers I have ripe and ready to go in my plot.”