This seafood stew brings a taste of summer to your table with its bright, sun-kissed flavors.

Juicy tomatoes, crisp red bell peppers, and sweet potatoes mingle with fresh basil, sage, and tarragon to create a light yet satisfying dish. It’s the perfect way to savor the season’s bounty in a vibrant, coastal-inspired meal.

To complement the stew, I paired it with Abbazia di Novacella 2023 Sylvaner, a crisp and fruity dry white wine from Italy's Alto Adige region. The winery is part of a historic abbey, Kloster Neustift, set high up in the Isarco Valley, where Augustinian monks have crafted wine for over 800 years.

The vineyards’ steep alpine terroir imparts a distinctive mineral character and freshness to Abbazia di Novacella’s outstanding wines. The Sylvaner’s subtle notes of apricot, melon, lime, and jasmine flowers and hint of minerality make it an ideal match for this light, summery meal with fresh, briny, and herbal flavors.

Seafood Stew with Tomatoes, Red Bell Pepper, and Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

1 & 1/2 T olive oil

1 lb white fish filet (I used John Dory but halibut, haddock, cod, flounder, and seabass are all good options)

1 T butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4” pieces

2 teaspoons jalapeño, chopped (with seeds if you like it a little spicy)

2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/2” pieces

5 sprigs thyme

1 T sage, chopped

2 teaspoons tarragon, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 large plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 teaspoon sugar, optional

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 cloves garlic, minced

12 littleneck clams

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

1 T fresh basil, chopped

1) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Rub both sides of fish with a teaspoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sauté fish for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked through (10 minutes total per inch of fish). Remove fish filet from pan and place aside on a plate, covered with foil.

2) To the same pan, add 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter is melted, add onions, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño, sweet potatoes, and herbs and cook over medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until potatoes are soft and onions and peppers are slightly caramelized. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Add tomatoes, sugar (if using), and wine, stirring. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add clams and cover pan. Cook for about 2 minutes. Rub a little olive oil, salt, and pepper on shrimp. Add shrimp and cover pan. Cook another 4 to 6 minutes until clams are open and shrimp is pink. push clams and shrimp aside, then lay fish on top of vegetables. Cover and cook about a minute to re-heat fish. Sprinkle with basil and serve with crusty garlic bread and a tossed salad.