Shellfish stew provencale

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 large Onion; chopped
2 pounds Fennel bulb; (sometimes called
; anise, available at
; most supermarkets),
; trimmed and sliced
; thin
1 Red bell pepper; sliced thin
; lengthwise
¼ cup Olive oil
The zest of 1 orange; removed in strips
; with a vegetable
; peeler
2 teaspoons Minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon; crumbled, plus
; dried, thyme sprigs for
; garnish
1 Bay leaf
¼ teaspoon Cayenne
½ teaspoon Crumbled saffron threads
2 cups Dry white wine
4 cups White fish stock or bottled clam juice
A; (28- to 32-ounce)
; can tomatoes,
; drained and chopped
2 larges Garlic cloves; minced
16 smalls Shrimp; shelled and
; deveined
16 smalls Hard-shelled clams cleaned
1 pounds King crab legs; thawed, shelled,
; and the cartilage
; discarded
8 larges Sea scallops; halved, or 16 small
; sea scallops
2 pounds Bones and trimmings of any white fish; flounder, or
; such as sole, whiting, chopped
2 cups Sliced onion
24 Long parsley sprigs
4 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Salt
7 cups Cold water
1 cup Dry white wine

Directions

FOR THE WHITE FISH STOCK

Clean the hard-shelled clams:

Scrub the clams thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold water, discarding any that have cracked shells or that are not shut tightly.

Make the stew:

In a kettle cook the onion, the fennel, and the bell pepper in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the zest, the minced thyme, the bay leaf, the cayenne, and the saffron, cook the mixture, stirring, for 30 seconds, and add the wine, the stock, the tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes, add the garlic, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. The stew may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Stir in the shrimp and the clams and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the crab legs and the scallops, simmer the stew, covered, for 3 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked through and the clams are opened, and discard the bay leaf and any unopened clams. Divide the stew among 8 heated bowls and garnish it with the thyme sprigs.

Make the stock:

In a well-buttered heavy saucepan combine the fish bones and trimmings, the onion, the parsley, the lemon juice, and the salt and steam the mixture, covered, over moderately high heat for 5 minutes. Add the water and the wine, bring the liquid to a boil, skimming the froth, and simmer the stock for 20 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, let it cool to warm, and chill it, covered. The stock keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week if it is brought to a boil every 2 days and then allowed to cool to warm, uncovered, before being chilled again. The stock keeps, frozen, for 3 months. Makes about 6 cups.

Serves 8.

Gourmet January 1993

Converted by MC_Buster.

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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