Spicy Mexican Seafood Stew

This recipe was contributed by "Frenchie" (Eleonore Agasse, sister Robin's French exchange student who quickly became a "real daughter" to the Loreth family). This dish is delicious served over Quinoa. To have the Quinoa ready at the same time the stew is finished, start the quinoa once you've added the potatoes to the stew (step one). Small squid (aka calamari) are sold cleaned and cut into rings at many specialty stores and seafood markets. 

Yield: Makes 4 servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  
• 1 onion (8 oz.), peeled, halved, and thinly slivered lengthwise 
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 can (32 oz.) diced or crushed tomatoes 
• 8 ounces red or white thin-skinned potatoes (about 1 in. wide), scrubbed and quartered
• 1 or 2 fresh hot green chilies such as jalapeños, rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces shelled, deveined shrimp (31 to 40 per lb.), rinsed
• 8 ounces tilapia or other white-fleshed fish, rinsed and cut into 1-inch chunks 
• 4 ounces fresh or thawed frozen calamari rings (optional; see notes), rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Cooked quinoa

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic and stir often until onion is very limp, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1 and 1/2 cups water, potatoes, chilies, cumin, chili powder, and salt; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Stir in seafood, if using. Cover and simmer until shrimp and fish are opaque but still moist-looking in the center of thickest part (cut to test), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Spoon quinoa onto rimmed plates; top with stew.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving

• Calories: 262
• Calories from fat: 24%
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 6.9g
• Saturated fat: 0.8g
• Carbohydrate: 19g
• Fiber: 4.4g
• Sodium: 823mg
• Cholesterol: 156mg