Bouillabaisse
(Serves 2-4)
Broth Ingredients:
1/4 cup lobster base (available canned in specialty markets) or you can use shrimp base
3/4 quart water
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground garlic
1 tablespoon anise seed
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon saffron
Combine all ingredients in a larger pot. Bring to boil and then simmer 15 minutes.
Set aside.
Seafood and Vegetable Ingredients:
This is where you can get creative and put whatever the fuck you want in it.
12-16 mussels (make sure they are tightly closed and smell fresh)
12-16 clams or cockles (make sure they are tightly closed and smell fresh)
4 2-ounce pieces of fish (halibut, snapper, mahi mahi, etc.)
16 pieces medium-to-large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
16 pieces medium-to-large scallops
I also like (when I have the cash) to put crab (king, blue or dungeoness) and/or lobster in as well.
Again, you can pretty much put whatever the fuck you'd like. Infact, I've been known to just make vegeatable bouillabaisse or I've used ground beef and sprinkle fresh parmesan cheese over the top.
1 tomato, in a half-inch dice
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
Place the stock in a flat 2-3 quart saucepan.
Add the mussels and clams - cover and simmer for four minutes.
Add the vegetables and the fish, lobster at this time as well - cover and simmer another four minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops - cover and simmer 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp is fully cooked.
Serve in individual flat soup dishes or pasta bowls.
Bouillabaisse is traditionally served with crusty French or sourdough bread.
