BOUILLABAISSE NEW ORLEANS

BOUILLABAISSE NEW ORLEANS image

Categories Fish Shellfish Stew Vegetarian

Yield Serves 6-8 generously.

Number Of Ingredients 21

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Ingredients

2 lbs. sea bass
2 large pieces red snapper (1 1/2 lbs.) for the stock
16 medium scallops or 10-13 giant scallops, cut in half
12 Littleneck clams in shell, scrubbed
1 lb. cooked crabmeat (not imitation)
16-21 green tiger shrimp, shells removed ("16-20 size")
8 small baby lobster tails or 5-6 larger regular tails, split in half
3-4 bottles of clam juice
8 cups water
1/2 cup Extra Virgin olive oil (plus additional to brush on marinating sea bass)
Salt, Pepper, dried (not powdered) thyme , and 3 crushed (by hand) bay leaves
Juice of 1+ lemon, about 1/4 cup
2 medium onions, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, packed
1/2 large green pepper, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced, (2 T.)
2 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered (about 1 1/2 lbs. total weight)
1/2 cup pimientos (4 oz.)
1/8+ rounded teaspoon powdered saffron (dissolved in wine)
3/4 cup dry white wine

Steps:

MARINATE SEA BASS FOR 2 HOURS: Cut sea bass into serving pieces...not too small...and place in a flat glass dish. Brush fish with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and "sprinkle" with dried thyme and crushed bay leaves. Turn fish over and repeat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 2 hours or longer in refrigerator. DIRECTIONS: To start making the stock, place red snapper, 8 cups water, and 1 bottle of clam juice in a GIANT pot. Boil 45 minutes. Drain and place liquid back into pot. (Snapper can be deboned and added back into stock, if you wish...but there's more than enough seafood without it.) Add 1/2 cup olive oil to stock. Add lemon juice, minced onions, parsley, cilantro, minced garlic, tomatoes, and green pepper. Add salt to taste and simmer (partially covered) for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent any sticking. This part can be made earlier in the day and let stand. BEFORE SERVING: (Allow 35 or so minutes before sitting down...) Reheat broth, if necessary. Add sea bass, removing some of the bay leaves. Add clams, scallops, crabmeat, shrimp, lobster tails, and pimiento. (Add the 4th bottle of clam juice if more broth is needed.) Let simmer-not boil-until seafood is done and clam shells are open...15-20 minutes. DISSOLVE 1/8+ rounded teaspoon saffron in 1/4 cup white wine. Add to pot of seafood. Stir gently to distribute seasonings. Right before serving, stir in remaining 1/2 cup white wine. Can let "stand" under extremely low heat (set pot half-off heat source), partially covered. Place in large bowl with ladle and tongs or let guests help themselves directly from the pot. I freeze any leftover Bouillabaisse broth after removing all shells and discarding any leftover clams. Then all I have to do is buy more shellfish (clams, shrimp, lobster) to add to the defrosted broth when I want an effortless gourmet dinner.