Title: Shellfish Stew Provencale
Categories: January 199
Yield: 1 servings

1 lg Onion; chopped
2 lb Fennel bulb; (sometimes
-called
; anise, available at
; most supermarkets),
; trimmed and sliced
; thin
1 Red bell pepper; sliced thin
; lengthwise
1/4 c Olive oil
The zest of 1 orange;
-removed in strips
; with a vegetable
; peeler
2 ts Minced fresh thyme leaves or
-1 teaspoon; crumbled, plus
; dried, thyme sprigs for
; garnish
1 Bay leaf
1/4 ts Cayenne
1/2 ts Crumbled saffron threads
2 c Dry white wine
4 c White fish stock or bottled
-clam juice
A; (28- to 32-ounce)
; can tomatoes,
; drained and chopped
2 lg Garlic cloves; minced
16 sm Shrimp; shelled and
; deveined
16 sm Hard-shelled clams cleaned
1 lb King crab legs; thawed,
-shelled,
; and the cartilage
; discarded
8 lg Sea scallops; halved, or 16
-small
; sea scallops

--------------------------FOR THE WHITE FISH STOCK--------------------------
2 lb Bones and trimmings of any
-white fish; flounder, or
; such as sole, whiting,
-chopped
2 c Sliced onion
24 Long parsley sprigs
4 tb Fresh lemon juice
1 ts Salt
7 c Cold water
1 c Dry white wine

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.