This mom is cooking all the time. My kids get pretty bored of our typical go-to family recipes and I have to admit, it can get me pretty frustrated. After a little searching online, I quickly realized that there’s no need to be crabby if you’ve got a great family dinner idea!
By the time March rolls around, we’ve all had our fill of the winter weather and are counting down the days until spring finally arrives. Though we still have a number of weeks until we can retire our family’s winter jackets and break out the barbecue, Chef Alex Chen has teamed up with All-Clad Canada to create a summer-y Seafood Boil recipe just in time to enjoy on National Crab Day on March 9.
This flavourful dish, made with an array of seafood and seasoned with fresh dill and thyme, is sure to lift your family out of their crabby winter spirits and get them excited for the warmer months ahead!
Source: Boulevard
About Alex Chen
Alex Chen is one of Canada’s most respected chefs and an All-Clad Canada Ambassador. Chen spent six years as executive chef at the legendary Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel and currently heads the kitchen at Vancouver’s Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar.
In 2013, he lead Team Canada to a top 10 finish at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or in Lyon, France. More recently, in November of 2018, Alex became the first challenger “whose cuisine reigned supreme” on the inaugural season of Iron Chef Canada when he defeated Iron Chef Hugh Acheson in the fourth episode of the Food Network Canada cooking competition television show.
Alex’s culinary vision is an inspired recipe of family tradition, classical technique and an artful infusion of casual West Coast flair and international influences.
Alex Chen’s All-Clad Canada Seafood Boil
Ingredients
6 litres water
1lb lobster
2lbs crab
12 whole 16/20 prawns
2lbs mussels
2lbs clams
1lb small local potato of choice, cut into bite sized pieces
2 whole corn cobs, husks removed and split into 3 pieces
4 garlic cloves
4 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. old bay spice
1 whole lemon, halved
10 sprigs thyme
10 sprigs dill
½ cup drawn butter
½ tsp. fennel pollen
Directions
Split lobster in half with a heavy French knife or cleaver and lightly crack the knuckles and detach the head from the tail. Cut the tail into 4 pieces.
Ask your local fish monger to clean and cut up the crab for you.
Scrub and remove the beards from the mussels.
Scrub and place the clams under cold running water for 5 minutes.
In the pot, add in water, salt, old bay spice, lemon, thyme, dill and fennel pollen. Place in the perforated multi-cooker insert and the small perforated basket.
Add corn and potato to the small perforated basket and turn the stock to simmer and cook potatoes for 10 minutes or until tender but not fully cooked.
Remove small basket and add in lobster head and knuckles and crab shell and knuckles, cook for 2 minutes.
Add in mussels, clams and remaining lobster and crab.
Turn the heat off and add the potato back in the stock to cook, covering with a lid and cook for 6 minutes.
Add in prawns, cover again and cook for 3 more minutes.
Lift the seafood and potato out from the pot.
Additional old bay spice can be sprinkled on the seafood, to taste.
