Seafood Sauerkraut (Choucroute de la Mer)
Seafood Sauerkraut is a creative variation of the traditional sauerkraut dish. A delightful combination of tangy sauerkraut, succulent seafood, and vibrant shallot sauce that will astonish you!
Servings: 6
Calories: 474kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Shallot sauce
- 1/4 cup shallot minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp White balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Seafood Sauerkraut
- 64 oz Fermented sauerkraut
- 1.5 lb fresh salmon fillets (6 x 3 oz pieces)
- 12 shrimp peeled and deveined, tail on
- 12 mussels fresh or frozen
- 4 oz smoked trout or haddock or other smoked white fish
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
Instructions
Shallot sauce
- Place all ingredients except the oil in a blender. Process until smooth.
- Open the blender carefully, add the olive oil. Pulse a few times until emulsified. Do not overprocess or the oil may turn bitter.
- Reserve at room temperature while you cook the sauerkraut.
Seafood Sauerkraut
- Drain sauerkraut in a colander. Optionally, if you are concerned about the sodium level of this recipe, rinse it briefly with cold water to remove excess salt. (see note below).
- Place sauerkraut, caraway seeds and white wine in a large sauté pan with a lid. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally
- Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Once the sauerkraut is warm, place salmon on top. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
- Add shrimp to the pan. Cover again and cook 2 minutes. If using frozen mussels, add them at this stage as well; if using fresh mussels, add them in the next stage.
- Add mussels and smoked fish, cover and cook another 4 minutes.
- Serve warm, topped with a drizzle of shallot sauce.
Notes
- Choosing the right sauerkraut: For optimal probiotics benefits, opt for fermented sauerkraut packaged in a bag. The pasteurization process used for canning or jarring sauerkraut eliminates live probiotics, making these options less beneficial.
- Fish selection: A wide variety of fish and seafood can be used in this recipe. Salmon is particularly suitable as its fatty content counterbalances the acidity of the sauerkraut. Halibut, seabass or monkfish are also delicious. Clams can replace mussels. And for an even more sophisticated version, try to include sea scallops!
- Reducing sodium levels: This recipe has a relatively high sodium content due to the inclusion of sauerkraut and smoked fish. To decrease the sodium content, you can briefly rinse the sauerkraut with cold water. However, bear in mind that this rinsing might also wash away some of the healthy probiotics present in sauerkraut.
- Shrimp preparation: If you're using frozen shrimp, ensure they're thoroughly defrosted before you start cooking.
- Mussel preparation: There's no need to defrost frozen mussels. However, since they require slightly longer cooking time than fresh ones, add them to the pot simultaneously with the shrimp.
- Cooking smoked fish: Smoked fish should not be cooked for too long as it can fall apart. Avoid fresh smoked salmon; instead, use a hot smoked fish.
- Using shallot sauce: You might not need to use all of the prepared shallot sauce for this recipe. The leftover sauce can double up as a fantastic salad dressing and can be stored in your refrigerator for a few days.
Nutrition
Calories: 474kcal | Total Carbohydrate: 18g | Protein: 36g | Total Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 2359mg | Potassium: 1332mg | Dietary Fiber: 9g | Total Sugars: 7g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 7mg