One Pot Cooking: When it comes to cooking for the very cold the Alaskans get daily prizes. I was there in the 1990s and had my life saved by this dish on a day when I was so cold I couldn’t pick up the spoon. You won’t find it on the internet (well OK you just have…) and very few people know it outside the town after which it is named but it’s an absolute belter of a centrally heated stewy chowder. You can muck about with the fishy ingredients but the crab is vital.
It’s relatively easy to make but very impressive to other diners. Although you’re cooking with wine try to reach a little above £3 cooking wine as it is the backbone of the dish. The recipe says use a whole bottle, but you can have a glass (or even two) yourself.
You will need
Olive oil
8 to 10 halved scallops,
1 glass of white wine,
500g (1lb) chunks of any meaty white fish such as cod
1pt veg or fish stock with a pinch of saffron
500g (1 lb) cooked crab meat
(white or brown or both)
Reduction
2kg (4lb) tomatoes
Olive oil
6 cloves of garlic chopped
1 head of fennel chopped
1 crushed star anise
2 tbs of spanish smoked paprika
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 bottle of (drinkable!) red wine
To make the reduction, oil the tomatoes and put them in a 200C oven for about 45 mins until they are blackening
Fry up the garlic and fennel in oil and add the tomatoes, all herbs and spices, vinegar and red wine, bring to the boil and simmer for an hour.
Five mins before serving flash fry the scallops and fish in a hot pan and pour in the white wine. Once that’s boiling add the crab meat and stir in the red wine reduction. The combination of red wine, paprika and crabmeat is rich, deeply warming and one of the wonders of the culinary world. GV
From Classic Sailor No14 – February 2017
Crabs dancing at the idea of being involved (well committed really) in some Sitka Soup. From Danse Fantastique by Henry Monnier