Seafood Stew

From My Carolina Kitchen

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

½ cup chopped fennel (excluding the leaves)

½ cup peeled and chopped carrot

½ cup chopped leek, cleaned, white part only

1 dried hot red pepper, crushed

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chopped canned whole tomatoes

2 cups water

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound bag of frozen mixed seafood containing octopus, cuttlefish and squid – or if unavailable, 1 pound boneless white-fleshed, nonoily fish such as halibut, striped bass or red fish, cut into ¾” cubes

1 tablespoon Pernod, Ricard, or any other anise flavored liqueur (optional, but imparts the flavor of the south of France and Marseille)

½ pound small scallops

½ pound shrimp, preferably wild caught, peeled and deveined

18 small to medium mussels

18 clams

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the olive oil in a kettle and add the onion, garlic, fennel, carrot, and leek. Cook the vegetables until they wilt, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Add the crushed hot pepper, bay leaf, thyme, wine, tomatoes, water, and Pernod if using.

Bring the mixture to a boil and add the salt and pepper. Cover the kettle tightly and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the frozen seafood mixture (or the fish) along with the Pernod if using and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the scallops, shrimp, mussels, and clams. Cook for another minute or two until the mussels and clams have opened, discarding any that do not open. Take special care not to overcook the seafood.

Sprinkle the stew with the parsley and serve immediately with crusty toast fingers or a French baquette to soak up the briny juices of the stew.

Adapted from Pierre Franey's Low Calorie Gourmet – serves 6