Each fall when the summer air cools I find myself automatically making soup in an effort to take the chill of the cool evenings in the fall. Although I love hearty and creamy soups I usually keep those for the winter months and instead create medium bodied brothy soups that have fall flavours and tasty intentions. The recipe below brings the delicacy of seafood together with everyday items such as carrots, garlic, tomatoes and celery making it as simple to prepare as it will be to enjoy. The trick, or should I say the bonus, to this recipe is in the wine. The wine you use will depend on you. If you like crisper lighter wines such as sauvignon Blanc or pinot grigio by all means use these in your recipe. I like wines with a little more body such as chardonnay which will also add a more substantial body to the soup base. What is really important though and it’s a comment I always make to my students – “cook with wines that you would want to drink”. A common practice/ mistake is to use corked or slightly off wines and if you think about it, that flavour will make it into you dish and it will taste, corked or slightly off. So open a bottle, pour yourself a glass and put a cup aside for this really tasty soup – enjoy!

Seafood a la Nage
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
1 leeks, outer leaves removed and washed
½ a pkg (500 g) Compliments Baby cut carrots
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 a pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp (2 mL) paprika
1 cup (250 mL) white wine
½ lb (250 g) baby potatoes, white or red, halved
1½ cups (375 mL) Compliments 25% sodium reduced Chicken broth
¾ lb (375 g) Halibut cut into 4 equal pieces
12 pieces Compliments frozen White shrimps, thawed in refrigerator
1/2 a pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
½ cup (125 mL) Compliments Balance mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper 8 slices of baguette, lightly toasted or grilled
8 Sprigs of Basil

1. Cut leeks into ½ inch (1 cm) thick slices.
2. In a shallow saucepan over medium high heat add olive oil, leeks, carrots, celery, the garlic and half of the paprika; sauté for 2 minutes without colouring. Add all but 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the wine and the potatoes; simmer for 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer for another 5 minutes. Place halibut on top of the vegetables, and add the shrimps and grape tomatoes; cover with a lid and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile in a small saucepan add remaining wine and paprika. Bring to a boil over medium high heat; simmer until reduced by half. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Stir in Mayonnaise and set aside until ready to serve.
4. Remove the lid and add the lemon juice, butter and pepper to the broth. Gently swirl pan until butter had incorporated into sauce. Chop half the basil and add to the sauce.
5. Divide the vegetables, fish and shrimps between 4 bowls. Place the Paprika wine mayonnaise on to the crouton and serve 2 croutons per dish. Top with remaining basil and Serve.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Its one I have made and served in several restaurants and it has always been very popular. Simple, flavourful, light but a meal in a soup and seafood and wine really are a perfect match.

Yours in food,
Chef James