If you’ve been reading my blog, you probably know that I grew up in Port Said, Egypt. But my family often frequented another lovely Mediterranean city called Alexandria; famed as the pearl of the Mediterranean.
I am equally smitten with this great metropolitan as I am with my hometown of Port Said. Alexandria is rich in scenery, life, and culture. From its captivating beaches to its majestic ancient architecture; modern high-rises; and the magnificent Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Library of Alexandria) — which in addition to holding millions of books also houses four museums! And by the way, this library overlooks the Mediterranean.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Library of Alexandria)
There is not a day that I do not miss the shores of the Mediterranean. I long for the simple things, however. The miles of soft sand. The endless sunshine. Fishermen’s boats bringing in the fresh bounty of the sea. And of course the taste of the glorious and ever-so-fresh seafood.
Desperate for a good bite of seafood, what’s a Mediterranean girl living in the heartland of the United States to do?
You guessed it! This girl did find a way. I made a yummy seafood stew ever reminiscent of that served in Alexandria’s finest restaurants.
Terrace Restaurant, Alexandria, Egypt; Timothy E Kaldas photography
On this crisp rainy fall day here in Iowa, this seafood stew is just the thing to bring some much needed warmth.
To make this seafood stew, I chose to go with some of my favorite ingredients: shrimp, lobster tail, baby kale, scallions, tomato, and parsley. All that, richly-flavored with garlic, lemon juice, crushed red peppers, coriander and more.
Who says you can’t bring a little taste of the Mediterranean to Iowa?
I hope you will try this soon!
Here it goes…
Clean and chop the tomatoes, red onions, green onions, garlic and parsley. Set aside along with baby kale.
In a bowl, season shrimp with a little salt and pepper and juice of 1/2 lemon. Place in fridge briefly.
In a large heavy pan, boil four cups of water with one bay leaf, one crushed garlic clove, dry minced ginger, salt and pepper.
Add the lobster tails to the boiling water. Turn the heat to medium-high; cover and let cook for three more minutes or until the lobster shells turn bright pink. Remove the lobster from its broth and set aside to cool. Keep lobster broth to use later.
With a pair of kitchen scissors, cut each lobster shell right down the middle. Extract lobster tails and chop into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
Heat two tbsp of olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute the chopped red onion with crushed red pepper flakes. To that, add the remaining chopped garlic.
Toss together briefly then add the chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and coriander. Add white wine and cook to reduce.
Now, using a mesh colander, pour in lobster broth. Follow with the chicken broth and remaining lemon juice.
Let come to a high simmer, then add the shrimp. One minute later, add the cooked lobster. Now stir in fresh baby kale, chopped green onions, and parsley leaves.
Remove from heat. Let sit, covered, for five minutes. Divide into four serving bowls. Serve with French style bread. Enjoy!
Looking for more seafood meals? Check out my 15-minute baked sole fillet, grilled swordfish, roasted Spanish mackerel or our Greek-style baked cod.
Or, for another kind of stew, check out one of my favorites the chickpea and roasted cauliflower stew. It’s worth a try!
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Seafood Stew with Shrimp and Lobster
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Description
Here is a yummy seafood stew ever reminiscent of that served in the fine restaurants of the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.
Ingredients
- 2 Roma tomatoes, washed, dried, diced
- 1 cup parsley leaves, washed, dried, stems removed
- 2 cups baby kale
- 2 green onions, washed, dried, chopped
- 1/2 red onions, roughly chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
- 1 lb raw large shrimp or prawns, peeled, deveined, tail on
- 2 lemons, juice of, divided
- 4 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp dried minced ginger
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lb lobster tail (about two lobster tails, 8 oz. each)
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 15-oz cans chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes, parsley, kale, onions and garlic as mentioned above. Set aside.
- Season shrimp with a little salt, pepper and juice of 1/2 lemon. Place in the fridge briefly.
- Boil four cups of water seasoned with bay leaf, one chopped garlic clove,dry minced ginger, salt and pepper.
- Add the lobster tails to the boiling water. Turn heat to medium-high; cover and let cook for three more minutes or until lobster shells turn bright pink. Remove the lobster from its broth and set aside to cool. Keep lobster broth to use later.
- Once cool enough to handle, cut lobster shell down the middle with a pair of kitchen scissors. Remove the lobster tails from their shells and chop into bite-size chunks.
- In a large pot, heat two tbsp of olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute the red onions with crushed red pepper flakes. To that, add the remaining chopped garlic. Toss together briefly then add the chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and coriander.
- Add white wine and cook to reduce.
- Into the same pot, using a mesh colander, pour in lobster broth. Follow with the chicken broth and remaining lemon juice.
- Let broth come to a high simmer, then add the shrimp. One minute later, add chunks of cooked lobster.
- Now stir in fresh baby kale, chopped green onions, parsley leaves. Remove from heat.
- Let sit covered for five brief minutes.
- Divide into four serving bowls. Serve with French style bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Really enjoyed it!
Hey, thanks for the recepie cooking lobster and shrimp. I will try it tonight for the New Year Eve dinner.
I also grow up in Alexandria, Egypt. What a memory.
You are very welcome, Atef! This is a great one for New Year’s Eve!
I loved it! I boiled the shrimp shells in the water then added the lobster tails kept everything else the same and it was delish! My kids loved it!
This stew was just ok. Needed more body to it, was very thin. Just a lot of work shelling shrimp and lobster to have it turn out just ok. And also the expense of the seafood. But try it, you may like it.
Thanks for sharing. This is meant to be more on the light and brothy side of things, not so much a thick stew. Appreciate your feedback!
Although, I don’t eat shellfish, if I was by the sea, I would indulge. Looks marvelous. Shall we take a trip?
Some day, The Mediterranean Dish will offer culinary trips. It’s a dream of mine.
Yum 🙂
Hope you try it sometime:-)
This dish looks fresh, colorful and delicious! That’s exactly how I like cooking lobster. I love Mediterranean cuisine , pinning and will try to make it!
Hi Mira. Thanks for the sweet comment. Let me know when you try!!! I am glad you found me. Hope you stay in touch 🙂 Cheers.