This may seem like a lot of seafood for two or three people, but that is the point of this special, generous dish. This is also a very flexible recipe: Feel free to use more of one type of seafood and less of another, depending on your taste and local availability. Two tablespoons of hot pepper flakes will make it nice and spicy; if you prefer a milder version, use a smaller amount. If you are cooking for a group, just double the recipe and use a bigger pan. The chrysanthemum greens give the broth a great herbal flavor. They taste like celery leaves but sweeter. I used to see them only at Asian markets, but recently I’ve bought them at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City, so a wider group of cooks must be catching on to chrysanthemum’s appeal. If necessary, use a few sprigs of mint or basil (which have a more concentrated flavor) in place of the chrysanthemum. The anchovy stock gives the stew a deeper flavor, but if there’s no time to make stock, you can use 3 cups water and salt to taste instead. See the photo
SERVES: 2 or 3
INGREDIENTS:
- Kosher salt
- 2 littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 6 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 live blue crab
- 1 (4-ounce) fresh or frozen cleaned squid body, thawed if frozen
- 1 small zucchini (about 6 ounces)
- 1 small onion (about 3 ounces), thinly sliced
- 1 (4-ounce) cod or flounder fillet, rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 large shrimp, preferably with heads on (long antennae removed)
- 2 ounces (about 1 cup) chrysanthemum greens (ssuk-gat), washed and left whole or cut into 3-inch lengths, or a few sprigs of fresh mint or basil, plus more for garnish
- 1 red Korean chili pepper (hong-gochu), stemmed and sliced diagonally, or 1 small red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 green Korean chili pepper (cheong-gochu), stemmed and sliced diagonally, or 1 small green bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 ounces enoki mushrooms, trimmed, washed under cold running water, and shaken dry
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Korean hot pepper flakes (gochu-garu)
- 3 cups Anchovy-Kelp Stock
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the clams and mussels and let soak for a few hours in the refrigerator. Put the crab in the freezer for 2 hours.
- Slit the squid body open and lay it out flat on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to score the squid diagonally. Turn it around and score it again to create a diamond pattern. Cut the squid into 1-x-3-inch strips.
- Pull the apron away from the crab and twist it off. Pull off and reserve the top shell. Remove and discard the gills. Use scissors to cut away the mouth parts. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the body in half. Twist off the large claws and reserve. Rinse the crab well.
- Drain and rinse the clams and mussels.
- Cut the zucchini into 2-inch crosswise pieces, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Slice each half lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Scatter the onion and zucchini pieces over the bottom of a 10-inch skillet. Arrange the cod, shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, and crab pieces—including the reserved crab shell—on top of the onion and zucchini. Scatter the chrysanthemum greens, chili peppers, and scallions on top of the crab. Place the mushrooms in the center of the pan in a bunch (like a bouquet of flowers).
- Combine the soy sauce, garlic, and hot pepper flakes in a small bowl and mix well to make a paste. Form the paste into a ball and place next to the mushrooms.
- Carefully pour the anchovy stock into the pan. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir to distribute the hot pepper mixture, then continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the crab is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon salt until dissolved, garnish with more chrysanthemum leaves, and serve from the pan.
