Seafood Chili Recipe

A variation of a traditional chili recipe, this one is sure to WOW your guests!  This recipe requires preparation of the sauce 1 day in advance or at least several hours to allow cooling in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 leeks, white part only, chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 Teaspoon dried oregano
• 35 oz Italian plum tomatoes, not drained
• 16 oz clam juice
• 2 Cups dry red wine
• 1/2 cup chili powder
• 5 Teaspoon toasted cumin seed
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 medium red bell peppers, chopped
• 12 Littleneck clams
• 12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 1/2 pound grouper cut into 1 inch pieces
• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 pound Bay scallops
• Fresh cilantro for serving

Directions

Heat oil in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add onions and leeks.  Cover and cook until tender, usually about 15 minutes.  Add garlic and oregano, and cook another 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, breaking up large pieces with a spatula.  Stir in the clam juice, wine, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne.  Slowly bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour.  Add bell peppers and simmer for 20 minutes.  Refrigerate overnight.

Bring sauce to a boil.   Reduce heat to a brisk simmer.  Add clams and mussels.  Cover and cook until shellfish open, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.  Discard any shellfish that do not open.  Gently stir in grouper and shrimp.  Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.  Add scallops.  Cover and simmer until fish is just opaque, about 3 minutes.

Top with cilantro and serve.