Overview
Fricot aux fruits de mer (Acadian Seafood Fricot)
The shellfish liquor adds depth, so strain it carefully and season only after the seafood cooks. This is a spoonable fricot, not a cream chowder.
Canadian National Dishes
Fricot aux fruits de mer (Acadian Seafood Fricot)
This Maritime Acadian-inspired fricot brings clams, mussels and scallops together with potatoes in a light, gently thickened broth. Fricot recipes vary between households and communities; this version follows the seafood-and-potato idea without claiming to be a single traditional formula. Summer savory gives the broth its peppery, herbal note.
Canadian National Dishes
Practical
Practical
- Keep the seafood refrigerated below 4°C while the potatoes cook, and add it only near the end.
- Strain the clam liquor through a fine sieve and check the largest seafood pieces with a thermometer.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Fricot
- 400 g fresh shucked clams, drained over a bowl; liquor reserved and strained
- 300 g fresh mussel meat, cleaned and refrigerated
- 300 g fresh scallops, side muscles removed if present
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), finely chopped
- 18 g all-purpose wheat flour
- 1.25 L water
- 900 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 2 g dried summer savory
- 1 g fine salt, then adjust to taste after cooking
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Directions
Method
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Step 1Keep all seafood refrigerated below 4°C while preparing the vegetables. Drain the clams over a bowl and strain their liquor through a fine sieve. Cut large scallops into pieces about 2 cm across. Keep raw-seafood tools separate from clean serving equipment.
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Step 2Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute without letting it brown deeply.
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Step 3Whisk in the water gradually, then add the strained clam liquor, potatoes, summer savory, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, cover partly and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced.
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Step 4Add the clams, mussel meat and scallops. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 3 minutes, stirring so the seafood heats evenly. Check the largest pieces with a food thermometer; they must reach 74°C. Do not rely on appearance alone.
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Step 5Taste and adjust seasoning only after the shellfish has cooked, since its liquor can be salty. Ladle into warm bowls and serve promptly; the broth should be light and gently thickened, not creamy or pasty.
Practical
Practical
Serving
Buy shellfish from a reputable licensed retailer and follow harvest-area closures and supplier instructions. Keep raw shellfish below 4°C and thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C and reheat to 74°C.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving sizeOne bowl, about one-sixth of the pot
- CaloriesAbout 310 kcal
- CarbohydrateAbout 37 g
- ProteinAbout 26 g
- FatAbout 6 g
- FibreAbout 4 g
- SodiumAbout 820 mg
Rounded ingredient-based estimate for six servings; shellfish species, drained weights and liquor salinity vary.
Allergens and food safety
Allergens and food safety
Contains molluscan shellfish (clams and mussels) and wheat (gluten). Buy from a reputable licensed retailer and observe harvest closures. Keep seafood cold below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat food. Wash hands and clean and sanitize tools and surfaces after raw-shellfish contact. Simmer shellfish at least 3 minutes and verify that the largest pieces reach 74°C; do not eat raw or undercooked shellfish.
Closing notes
Closing notes
- Clams, mussels, scallops, potatoes and summer savory make a coastal seafood variation on fricot.
- Add the seafood after the potatoes are tender and serve the light broth hot.