West Coast Shrimp Stew

 Over the Christmas holidays I was pleasantly surprised with an amazing parcel that was sent my way from the West Coast. My friend Anne Fairbrother has been teaching in a school out West on a First Nations Community called Lax Kw'Alaams near Prince Rupert, B.C. http://www.laxkwalaams.ca/welcome.php
Turns out that their major source of industry is fishing and seafood products. In the parcel along side the gifties for the boys was this package of Shrimp and Crab Boil Seasoning Mix. As you may already know, I love receiving foodie gifts such as this wonderfully flavourful packet of seasoning goodness.

Seeing how we've been having such as blustery winter here in Southern Ontario, I decided to use my West Coast Shrimp and Crab Seasoning Mix as the base for my West Coast Shrimp Stew. What makes this seasoning mix perfect for such a dish the combination of spices and herbs that compliment seafood to allow their natural flavour to come through. The ingredients in this seasoning mix are: Mustard Seed, Coriander, Allspice, Dill, Red Pepper and Bay Leaves.

To complete my West Coast Shrimp Stew I added a few other ingredients.

1 cup corn
1 diced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 red pepper, diced
1 lbs. cubed mini potatoes
1 lbs. shrimp
1 cup tomato pulp
Oaxaca Salt
pepper
4 cups of water



I sauteed the onion, garlic and red pepper until they were slightly softened. Then I threw in the potatoes, water and tomato pulp. I brought everything to a nice boil and then lowered to a simmer for 30 minutes. To finish this warm and hearty stew I added the shrimp and corn and continued to simmer for another 15 minutes to allow the shrimp to cook through.

Meegwitch Anne! For this wonderful little packet of yummy goodness. You gave our winter stew another layer of flavour.