Epicurious' 4 Levels series features three takes on a classic recipe — amateur, advanced and professional — and insights from a food scientist. In the latest episode, Institute of Culinary Education Chef Chris Scott elevates chili with a professional approach to stock.
Chef Chris says his main proteins — jumbo lump crab meat, fresh shrimp, scallops and a blue crab — make for a flavorful stock. He adds white beans for sweetness, orange zest for brightness and shrimp for an element of joy. Pro tip: Add the fresh herbs at the end so the flavor is still potent when the soup is served.
Watch the video for his demo and get the complete recipe below.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small Spanish onion, diced)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 5 tomatillos, chopped until pulpy
- 2 oranges for zest
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons ground cumin
- 3 whole dried chipotle peppers
- 1 cup white beer (hefeweizen)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped till pulpy
- 4 cups chicken or fish broth
- 2 small cans cooked white beans, drained
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 pound sea scallops, cleaned
- 1/2 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
- 1 whole raw crab
- 4 bunches fresh cilantro
- 2 whole limes for garnish
- Cornbread
Directions
- In a dutch oven, heat the oil. Sweat the onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add the dried spices and the dried peppers, toast all of this over medium-low heat until fragrant.
- Add the peppers and cook until tender. Add the tomatillos and the fire-roasted tomatoes. Add beer and stock. Add white beans and bay leaf.
- Let this simmer on low heat for at least 45 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add seafood and orange zest and cook for 10 minutes more.
- Add chopped cilantro and serve in a bowl with a warm slice of cornbread.
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