Mediterranean Shrimp and Lobster Stew

Season shrimp with a little salt, pepper and the juice of half of a lemon. Put it in a bowl and put it in the fridge briefly.

Put the water, bay leaf, one chopped garlic clove, dry minced ginger, a dash of salt and pepper in a large pot. Bring water to a boil. Add lobster tails to the boiling water. Turn heat to medium high; cover and let it cook for three more minutes or until lobster shells turn bright pink. Remove lobster from the broth and set aside to cool. Keep lobster broth to use later.

Once cool enough to handle, cut lobster shell down the middle with a pair of kitchen scissors. Remove lobster tail from its shell and chop into bite-size chunks. Set aside momentarily.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute red onion with crushed red pepper flakes. Once onions start to turn translucent, add the remaining chopped garlic. Toss together briefly then add the chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and coriander. Add white wine and cook until wine starts to reduce.

Then pour the lobster broth into the pot through a fine mesh strainer. Follow with chicken broth and remaining lemon juice. Let broth come to a high simmer, then add shrimp. One minute later, add chunks of cooked lobster.

Now stir in fresh baby kale, chopped green onions and fresh parsley leaves. Now remove the pot from the heat. Let it sit covered for five minutes.

Divide into four serving bowls. Serve with French style bread.

If you’ve stopped by my blog before, you probably know that I grew up in Port Said, Egypt. But my family often frequented another lovely Mediterranean city called Alexandria; famed as the pearl of the Mediterranean. I recreated this seafood stew from memory. It very much resembles that from Alexandria’s finest seafood restaurants.