Floribbean Fish Stew With A French Twist |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Delightful bowl of fragrant spice and herbs, flavored with vegetables and delicately poached fish and shellfish. Topped with a delicious peppery garlic rouille toast, crunchy and a perfect dipping vehicle for the broth. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of the best olive oil you can afford |
1 medium to large leek, cleaned and cut in thin half moons |
2 ribs of celery, finely chopped, including the leaves |
1 fat bulb of fennel, fronds removed and reserved, shave the fennel bulb on a mandoline as fine as you can get it. |
3 cloves of garlic, minced |
1/2 cup of hearty red wine, zinfandel is good |
2 cups of fish stock (or one cup of clam juice and one cup of h20 |
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in puree |
1 can of mild tomatoes and green chiles (or hotter if you want) |
3 strips of lemon rind, studded with one clove each |
3 long strips of orange rind |
one bunch of parsley stems tied together with butcher's twine |
1 bay leaf |
1/4 teaspoon of salt |
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes |
8 ounces of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined |
8 ounces of crabmeat picked over for cartilage or |
substitute florida lobster tails, split down the back one for each person |
12 ounces of firm white fish fillets, non oily (bass, grouper, snapper, cod) cut in 1 inch thick chunks |
fresh basil leaves for garnish |
sweet red pepper rouille |
1 jar of fire roasted red peppers, drained (smallest jar possible) and dried off. you want about 2/3 cup of pepper pieces |
5 garlic cloves, (yes, i said five) |
1 teaspoon of saffron threads, soaked in 1/8 cup of dry vermouth |
10 shakes of your favorite hot sauce (louisiana is good, texas pete is just fine) |
a generous pinch of cayenne |
1 cup of good quality mayonnaise |
loaf of french baguette or a fine quality cuban bread, cut in 1 inch thick slices and toasted |
Directions:
1. In a deep heavy bottom stock pot, heat the oil and wilt the vegetables, leeks, garlic, fennel and celery.
2. Add the red wine and stock, bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Add tomatoes, including the tomato and chiles.
4. Tie the lemon rind, orange rind and parsley stems together with a long piece of twine. Tie the other end of the twine to the a handle on the pot, so you can fish it out easily later on.
5. Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper.
6. Simmer another 20 minutes or so.
7. Ten minutes before you want to eat, layer the shrimp first,, the lobster tails (if you have them) and then the fish chunks.
8. Cover and simmer on low until the fish and shrimp are opaque.
9. Pull out the bay leaf and the rind and parsley stems and discard.
10. Keep the broth warm and covered.
11. Make the rouille by blending the fire roasted pepper in a blender or processor, adding the garlic cloves, saffron and wine, along with the hot sauce and finally the mayonnaise. Blend til smooth.
12. Serve soup in large soup bowls, topped with a large toast spread with rouille and a garnish of fresh basil leaves.
13. Alternate serving suggestions, soup in a deep large soup bowl, top a sprig of basil and with a large spoonful of rouille to be stirred into the broth; have the fresh and untoasted on the side. Tear the piece of bread in chunks for dipping.
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