Ocean Food Truck Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat the fish fillets dry and cut into 1- to 1.5-inch chunks. Season fish, shrimp and scallops lightly with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set clams/mussels aside refrigerated until ready to use; discard any that remain open after a gentle tap.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working quickly, sear fish chunks just until opaque on the outside, about 1 minute per side — they will finish cooking in the broth. Transfer seared fish to a plate and set aside.

Add shrimp to the pan for 30–45 seconds per side until they begin to pink; remove and keep with the fish. Do not overcook. Wipe the pan if there are excessive brown bits, leaving some fond for flavor.

Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the same pot. When melted, add the diced onion, celery and carrot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute to deepen the tomato paste flavor.

Deglaze the pot with 1 cup white wine, scraping up any browned bits; let the wine reduce by half, about 3–4 minutes.

Pour in 3 cups seafood stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the halved baby potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 10–12 minutes depending on size.

Add the sliced fennel and cherry tomatoes to the simmering broth and cook 3–4 minutes until tomatoes start to break down and fennel is tender-crisp.

Stir in chopped kale or spinach and let wilt, about 1–2 minutes.

Return the seared fish, shrimp and scallops to the pot. Add the clams/mussels, nestling them into the broth. Cover and simmer gently until all shellfish have opened and the seafood is cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Discard any shells that remain closed.

Turn off heat and stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream if using, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste) and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons chili oil or a dash of hot sauce to brighten the broth.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. If the broth is too thin, simmer uncovered 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly; if too strong, add up to 1/2 cup extra stock or water.

Ladle the seafood and broth into deep bowls. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley and serve with buttery rolls or slices of crusty baguette on the side for dipping.

Leftovers: Cool completely and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat; avoid boiling to keep seafood tender.