TOMATO-SAFFRON FISH STEW

Tomato-Saffron Fish Stew image

This is so very good that I eat it slowly trying to make it last! It's not a bad time consumer but not one that you can knock out in 15 mins either. Take your time and enjoy making this. I might add that I made it with extra fish as I had no shellfish and wasn't going back to the city for about a month and it was still yummy.

Provided by Annacia * @Annacia

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

1 - orange
28 ounce(s) undrained canned tomatoes
4 cup(s) water
1 - bay leaf
4 - minced garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) dried leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) celery salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh ground black pepper
3/4 cup(s) thin sliced celery stalk or fennel bulb
1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup(s) cold water
1 pound(s) boneless fresh haddock (or frozen or a mixture fish) or 1 lb salmon (or frozen or a mixture fish) or 1 lb cod (or frozen or a mixture fish)
1/2 pound(s) fresh shrimp or 1/2 lb frozen shrimp or 1/2 lb lobsters or 1/2 lb scallops
1 pound(s) mussels or 1 lb clam, in the shell
1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Steps:

Slice a piece of orange peel about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and the length of one side of an orange. Briefly whirl tomatoes and juice in a food processor or blender, just until broken up, but not puréed.
In a large saucepan or soup pot, stir tomatoes with 4 cups (1 L) water, bay leaf, peel strip, saffron and celery or fennel. Place over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, thyme, fennel, salt, celery salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop flavor.
In a measuring cup, stir flour with 1/3 cup (75 mL) cold water until no lumps remain. After tomato mixture has simmered 15 minutes, slowly add to flour and water mixture while stirring constantly. Continue slow simmering, uncovered and stirring often, until mixture has thickened and no taste of flour remains, from 10 to 15 minutes.
Taste, and add salt and pepper, if needed. Broth will have a very strong taste, which mellows when seafood is added. If making ahead, remove from heat at this point and refrigerate. Covered, broth will keep well for 3 days.
Meanwhile, removing any bones or shells (but not from mussels or clams), cut fish or seafood into bite-size chunks.
When ready to serve, remove bay leaf and orange peel from broth. If using clams, stir into hot stew and simmer 10 minutes before adding remaining fish and seafood. Stir fish, seafood, including any mussels and parsley, into simmering stew.
Simmer, covered and stirring often, until clam or mussel shells have opened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with more chopped fresh parsley. Serve with a crisp baguette or sourdough bread to dip into the broth.