Variations of the famous French fish stew, Bouillabaisse, can be found in almost any coastal town on the Mediterranean Sea. Bouillabaisse purists, among them the Michelin Guide Vert, love to point out that authentic Bouillabaisse is only made using racasse, a rock fish local to Marseille. Legend has it that, Bouillabaisse originated from the kitchens of local fishermen who made a fish stew using the trash fish from their catch of the day. Julia Child wrote: "to me the telling flavor of bouillabaisse comes from two things: the Provençal soup base—garlic, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, fennel, saffron, thyme, bay, and usually a bit of dried orange peel—and, of course, the fish—lean (non-oily), firm-fleshed, soft-fleshed, gelatinous, and shellfish." So, channeling Julia’s common sense approach to cooking, and not wanting to insult the folks at the Michelin Guide Vert, this recipe uses the traditional flavors of a bouillabaisse paired with our local New England seafood and we call it Mediterranean Fish Stew. No matter what you call it, it’s delicious!

6 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved and thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups seafood stock or bottled clam juice
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Pinch saffron (if you don’t want to spend the money on saffron you can substitute 1 packet of Sazón with Saffron seasoning)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (tough stems removed)
1 bay leaf
2 pounds cod, cut into 3 inch serving size pieces
1 ½ pounds shrimp, cleaned and peeled
1 ½ pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbs. Anisette, Pernod, or Pastis (optional)
Crusty bread, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add the seafood stock or clam juice, tomatoes, orange zest and juice, saffron, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced slightly, 12 to 15 minutes.

3. Add the cod and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and mussels and cover the pot. Simmer until the seafood is fully cooked (the fish will be firm, the shrimp will be pink, and the mussels will be open and plump and juicy), about 4 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.

4. Stir in the parsley and anise flavored liquor. Top with the reserved fennel fronds and serve with the bread.

Adapted from: https://www.purewow.com/recipes/30-minute-one-pot-cheaters-bouillabaisse

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