Zuppa di Pesce Maine and Dungeness Stew by Executive Chef Carlo Cavallo, Meritage Restaurant

Learn the secret to creating a rich and nutritious stew with this recipe from our Executive Chef.

Pairing: Chardonnay

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients: 1 sprig of thyme 1 tablespoon chile flakes 1 shallot, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 12 Manilla clams, cleaned 12 Prince Edward Island mussels, cleaned 1 pound sea bass/salmon fillet, cut into large chunks 1 cup of white wine 1 cup calamari (squid), cleaned and sliced 1 pound (size: 16/20 per pound), cleaned 1 Maine lobster (1 1/2 pounds), steamed and cracked 1 Dungeness crab, steamed and cracked 4 cups shrimp/lobster/crab stock **** 1 cup tomato sauce 1 bunch fresh parsley chopped salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: In a large, deep sauté pan, combine thyme sprig, chile pepper, shallots and garlic with olive oil. Cook on low very heat for five minutes to extract the flavors. Add the clams, mussels, and sea bass/salmon. Add the white wine and cook till volume has reduced by half. Add calamari, shrimp, lobster, and crab. Add the lobster stock, and tomato sauce. (The stew at this point can be placed in the wood burning oven to finish) Continue to cook until all shellfish is open and the stew comes to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the chopped parsley and serve accompanied by a good artisan rustic bread.

****The stock is the secret to a great seafood stew, take the leftover shells of shrimp, and that you might have eaten in prior meals and freeze them. When you have accumulated enough shells to make a stock (at least enough to fill a stock pot 3/4 of the way up). Place the shells (straight from the freezer) in a roasting pan, with 1 large on- ion, 3 roma tomatoes, two large carrots, 3 stalks of celery--all roughly chopped. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Add cups of white wine or brandy to scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Remove all contents of roasting pan and place in a stock pot. Cover contents with plenty of water and add 1 bunch of fresh thyme sprigs, 3 bay leaves, 1 bunch of parsley stems, 1 tablespoons of black peppercorns, two pinches of saffron threads, 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for at least three hours. Strain the stock and reserve. If you make excess stock it can be frozen. Other uses for this stock can be soups and risotto.

Egg Wash Ingredients: 1 egg 2 tablespoons water Directions for the Pasta Dough: In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the ingredients and knead until the dough becomes a smooth ball. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Directions for Preparing the Pasta: Using a pasta machine, roll out the dough until a very thin sheet is obtained. Cut 2 1/2 inch squares out of the dough. Brush the pasta square with an egg wash (cracked egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water). Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of the square and fold over one corner to make a triangle, making sure to press out the air that might get caught inside. Take the end corners of the triangle and fold them in, around your index finger, thus completing the tortellini. Repeat until your filling runs out. (You can freeze any extra tortelli- ni in a plastic bag)

Preparing the Pasta & Sauce: 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter 1 bunch of sage leaves 1/4 cup almonds (blanched sliced and toasted) 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons of Balsamic glaze Directions: Bring 4 quarts of water to a vigorous boil, add a 2 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Drop the tortellini in the water, then cook for about three minutes or until al dente (they will float when they are almost done). In a saucepan on high heat, add the butter and sage and sauté until the butter begins to brown.

To Serve: Drain the pasta place in a serving tray (or in individual bowls) sprinkle with the almonds and Parmesan cheese and drizzle the hot brown butter sage sauce over the pasta and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.