Epicurious' 4 Levels series features three takes on a classic recipe — amateur, advanced and professional — and insights from a food scientist. In the latest episode, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Chef Chris Scott elevates chili with a professional approach to stock.
Chef Chris says his main proteins — jumbo lump crab meat, fresh shrimp, scallops and a blue crab — make for a flavorful stock. He adds white beans for sweetness, orange zest for brightness and shrimp for an element of joy. Pro tip: Add the fresh herbs at the end so the flavor is still potent when the soup is served.
Watch the video for his demo and get the complete recipe below.
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small Spanish onion, diced)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 5 tomatillos, chopped until pulpy
- 2 oranges for zest
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons ground cumin
- 3 whole dried chipotle peppers
- 1 cup white beer (hefeweizen)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped till pulpy
- 4 cups chicken or fish broth
- 2 small cans cooked white beans, drained
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 pound sea scallops, cleaned
- 1/2 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
- 1 whole raw crab
- 4 bunches fresh cilantro
- 2 whole limes for garnish
- Cornbread
Directions
- In a dutch oven, heat the oil. Sweat the onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add the dried spices and the dried peppers, toast all of this over medium-low heat until fragrant.
- Add the peppers and cook until tender. Add the tomatillos and the fire-roasted tomatoes. Add beer and stock. Add white beans and bay leaf.
- Let this simmer on low heat for at least 45 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add seafood and orange zest and cook for 10 minutes more.
- Add chopped cilantro and serve in a bowl with a warm slice of cornbread.
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