★★★ A Cheatin' Vegan's LOADED SEAFOOD STEW ★★★

Hey My beautiful PEEPS!

It's just Onn aka #Onntastic here wanting to share a juicy recipe with you. My diet is somewhere between a Vegetarian, a Pescatarian (fish/seafood eaters) and a Vegan. Hence the name Cheagan -- or Cheatin' Vegan. Sometime soon I'll get into how and why I made a drastic change in my diet. But I'll save that for another post. It hasn't really been that long to be honest. I started cutting all the meat in February. I'm still learning new ways to cook and as for seafood, I don't imagine I'll be eating it more than once or twice a year. At any rate, I made this quite some time ago. My pop was on a road trip with his sisters and they got to talking about food. Although my dad has never really commented on my seafood stew directly, apparently he told them he loved it! I was like "YAY! 😄" He usually keeps his comments on the "low low." But I was so pleased to hear it and my Aunt emailed me right away and asked for the recipe. I had never even written it out before until the time of her request. So please excuse my unorthodox ingredient listing.

And 😝 ONTO TO THE FOOD.... 😝

INGREDIENTS

VEGGIES
🔹Onion (yellow or white) - 1 chopped
🔹Garlic - 3 chopped cloves + 3 cloves sliced length-wise (reserve sliced for later)
🔹Carrots - 1.5 cups sliced
🔹Celery - 2 stalks chopped | U can opt for 1 or 1-1/2 Tb of celery salt
🔹Red & Yellow Bell Peppers - 1 cup | You can do half and half like I did
🔹Potatoes (any kind) - 1 to 1.5 cups | Can also opt for cubed sweet potato - I've done both w/ equal parts total 1.5 cups
🔹Jalapeno - 1.5 sliced + .5 sliced for garnish
🔹Tomato - 1 - chop some chunky pieces
🔹More Veggies (OPTIONAL) - I've added broccoli, asparagus (cut in 1" chunks), or cauliflower in the past
🔹Cilantro (preferably) or Parsely - for garnish

MEAT OF THE SEA

Use ANY of the following or variations.

🔹Tilapia - This is all you really need. It's cheap and it holds up in the stew perfectly. You'll need 4-5 filets - chunky chopped
Other options in lieu of Tilapia...
🔹Halibut - 2 cups worth
🔹Shellfish (Mussels / Shrimp / Lobster chunks / clams / scallops, etc.) - U can keep the shells or toss em'. I've done both. Mix em' up. Use whatever amount u want that won't over flow your pot.

So I've laid my usual choice of seafood out below. Let's see - (from top clockwise) I've got lobster chunks, shrimp (peeled with tails on), mussels, and tilapia.

SEASONINGS

🔹Cumin seeds - 1.5 tsp or Cumin ground - 1 tsp
🔹Caraway - 1.5 tsp or Caraway ground - 1 tsp
🔹Smoked Paprika - 1 tsp + some for garnish
🔹Salt - 1 Tbl (preferably Pink Himalayan sea salt)
🔹Pepper - 1 tsp to 1-1/2 tsp (Umm...I've added 1 TBL + cuz I ♥ pepperrrrrrr)
🔹Herbs: Thyme + Sage + Oregano - 1 tsp ea (ground)
🔹Bay Leaves - 2
🔹Butter - 2 to 3 Tbl | Pref. Grassfed like the Kerrygold brand. TTLY optional.
🔹Maple, Honey, or Agave syrup - 1 to 2 Tbl (Depends on your taste.)
🔹Optional Flavor Hacks - Add to taste if ya need some "uhmmph!" such as:
🔹Lawrey's Season Salt - To taste
🔹Tobasco - I like the Habanero flavor whoa! - To Taste

LIQUIDS

🔹Beef, Chic, or Veggie stock - I mostly use Veggie of Course! - 4 to 5 cups
🔹Coconut Milk - Half can - This makes it nice n' ever so slightly creamy. And it's healthy fat. So much better than Heavy Cream.

Pic: Pot with ere' thang innit MINUS the seafood. Notice the chunky butter...

DIRECTIONS

DUTCH OVEN BAKED - I use these dutch oven bad boys cuz you can throw everything in and pop that baby in the oven. Set it n' fugget it!

INSTRUCTIONS: Saute onions & chopped garlic til' tender with olive oil or your oil of preference. Add carrots, celery, bell peppers, jalapenos, potatoes, and any other veggies EXCEPT tomatoes. Saute for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add your liquids and seasonings EXCEPT butter. Add your sliced garlic (Aw man, there's noting like pickin' up a spoonful of stew with a piece of sliced garlic in it!) and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Take out and TASTE TEST-- add whatever to your judgement (Usually it's more S&P or Lawrey's + cumin). Make sure your carrots n' potatoes are tender.

Now add your SEAFOOD, butter (2-3 Tablespoons; LESS if it's not grassfed), tomatoes, and pop it back in the oven for another 10-12 min.

When it's all said n' done and if I'm not 100% satisfied, I will add in a lil' more maple, honey, or agave if it's too salty. It's a healthy lovely offset.

FOR STOVE TOP - Using a standard pot, you can virtually do everything the same as above except the oven part. Just remember to saute first, then add the bulk of the veggies and saute some mo'. When you add your liquids bring everything to a BOIL for a couple minutes. Then simmer down for 30 minutes BEFORE you add your seafood, tomatoes, n' butter. I always play with the seasonings by adding more here n' there during the simmer session. Then lastly, I'll add the seafood and cook for another 10-15 min.

PLATING - I garnish with sliced cilantro or parsley, 3-4 thin sliced jalapenos, n' smoked paprika. And If I'm greedy, I'll add a biscuit on the side. YUM!!!! 😋