Seafood Pan Roast

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons salted butter (divided)
• 1 cup celery, small dice
• 1 cup yellow onion, small dice
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced
• 1 2/3 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/3 cups tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons jasmine rice
• 150 ml heavy cream
• 2-3 large basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp (size 10-15), cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 lb crab meat

Holy Trinity

• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/2 cup yellow onion
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper (cut into small dice)

Spice Blend

• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tablespoon Tony's Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne chili powder

To Finish

• 1/2 cup clam juice
• 4 tablespoons extra dry vermouth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pot on medium-low heat. Add the celery, onion, garlic and a pinch of salt, and sweat until translucent.
• Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock and jasmine rice. Stir together, turn up the heat, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice has softened.
• Transfer the soup base to a blender, add the heavy cream and basil leaves, blend smooth and set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a saute pan on medium-low heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and fry until aromatic.
• Add the shrimp and saute until cooked through, then add the crab meat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Clean out the pot and return it to the stove. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add the holy trinity and a pinch of salt, and sweat on low until translucent (about 5 minutes).
• Add the spice blend and sweat another minute to warm the spices, then add the vermouth, clam juice, Worcestershire sauce, the blended soup base and the cooked seafood. Season with salt to taste.

Serves 6-8. From David Nguyen on Instagram.