Bouillabaisse - Classic French Seafood Stew

Ingredients

• Crusty bread (1 loaf, sliced)
• Fresh parsley (1/4 cup, chopped)
• Clams (1/2 pound, scrubbed clean)
• Lobster tails (2, halved)
• Shrimp (1/2 pound, peeled and deveined)
• Mussels (1/2 pound, scrubbed clean)
• Red snapper fillets (2, cut into chunks)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Orange zest (1 tablespoon)
• Thyme (1 teaspoon, dried)
• Bay leaf (1)
• Saffron threads (1 pinch)
• Fish stock (4 cups)
• White wine (1 cup)
• Tomatoes (4, diced)
• Fennel bulb (1, chopped)
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
• Onion (1, chopped)
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, garlic, and fennel bulb. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes until they start to break down.
4. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
5. Add the fish stock, saffron threads, bay leaf, thyme, orange zest, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
6. Add the red snapper, mussels, shrimp, lobster tails, and clams to the pot. Cover the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through and the shells have opened. Discard any mussels or clams that do not open.
7. Remove the bay leaf from the pot and discard.
8. Garnish the bouillabaisse with fresh parsley just before serving.
9. Serve the bouillabaisse hot with slices of crusty bread on the side for dipping.