Acadian Seafood Fricot for Two

Ingredients

• 10 oz mixed seafood or scrubbed clams
• 12 oz potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter or neutral oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium seafood or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk or cream
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 tsp dried summer savory
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder, for the dumplings
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent but not coloured. Fricot is a pale broth and should stay that way.
2. Add the garlic and summer savory and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the broth and add the potatoes.
3. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender enough to crush against the side of the pot. Crush a few and stir them back in; their starch thickens the broth without flour.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with about 1/4 cup water into a soft, sticky dough. Do not knead it, or the dumplings turn tough.
5. Drop teaspoons of the dough onto the simmering broth, cover tightly, and steam for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Lifting it lets the steam out and the dumplings collapse.
6. Lift the dumplings aside, add the seafood and the peas, and poach gently for 3 to 5 minutes, until the clams have opened and any fish is opaque at 145F (63C). Discard any clams that stay shut.
7. Pour in the milk and warm it through over low heat without boiling, so it does not curdle in the salty broth.
8. Season with vinegar, salt, and plenty of black pepper, return the dumplings, and serve in deep bowls with the fresh herbs.

Allergen note: Contains shellfish, dairy, and gluten.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.