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.