Bouillabaisse a.k.a. Fish Stew

The Spring always brings about the best of the fishing season so seafood is at its peak for the freshest catch of the year.  

Bouillabaisse, a fancy French word for Fish Stew

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. Cod

1/4 lb. Haddock

1/4 lb. Shrimp, peeled

1/2 lb. Mussels

Fish Bones, skin, and Shrimp Shells

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil

1 Large Shallot, chopped *

1 Small Leek, chopped *

4 cloves of garlic, chopped *

2 Vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped *

6 sprigs of Thyme

Fistful of Parsley, ~ 1/3 cup

3 Stems of Basil Leaves

Fennel Fronds, ~ 1/8 cup

1 Bay Leaf

6 cups water
1 9 oz package of fresh Fettuccine

Dutch Oven

* Don't worry about dicing the vegetables as they are only used to flavor the broth, so in this case, size doesn't matter.

Directions:
1)  Place 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat.  Toss in the chopped shallot, leek, and garlic.

2)  Saute for about 10 minutes, then toss in the chopped tomatoes.

3)  Saute for another 5 minutes, then toss in the thyme, parsley, basil, fennel, and bay leaf.  Mix together.

4)  Add the Fish and shrimp discardings and stir around.

5)  Add 6 cups of water; increase temperature to bring to a boil.

6)  Once the pot in boiling, reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

7)  Using a coriander, strain the liquid of the solids, and then return the newly created liquid gold fish stock to the Dutch Oven.

8)  Add the shrimp, cod, haddock, and mussels to the pot.

9)  Bring back up the heat to a boil. Add the Fettuccine. Cover and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer uninterrupted for 5 minutes.


10)  Remove top, serve, and dig in. Slice up a French baguette so your guests can soak up your homemade fish stock; you should be very proud!