Bouillabaisse

Name: Bouillabaisse
Ingredients: 8 cups water; 3 (1 1/4-pound) whole lobsters; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 cups chopped onion; 2 cups coarsely chopped celery; 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 4 cups coarsely chopped tomato (about 1 1/2 pounds); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 bay leaves; 1 pound skinned halibut fillets or other lean white fish fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces; 22 small clams, scrubbed (about 1 3/4 pounds); 30 small mussels, scrubbed and debearded (about 1 1/2 pounds); 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

17 ingredients

4 steps

Ingredients

8 cups water
3 (1 1/4-pound) whole lobsters
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups coarsely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups coarsely chopped tomato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 pound skinned halibut fillets or other lean white fish fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
22 small clams, scrubbed (about 1 3/4 pounds)
30 small mussels, scrubbed and debearded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

1

Bring water to a boil in an 8-quart stockpot. Plunge lobsters headfirst into water. Return to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes. Remove lobsters from water (do not drain); cool. Remove meat from cooked lobster tails and claws; cut into 1-inch pieces, reserving shells. Cover and refrigerate lobster meat.
2

Return reserved shells to water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Drain through a colander over a large bowl, reserving broth; discard shells. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel.
3

Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add reserved broth, tomato, salt, saffron, thyme, pepper, and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes; discard bay leaves. Bring to a boil; add halibut, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Add clams; cook 1 minute. Add mussels; cook 2 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes. Bring to a boil. Add reserved lobster meat; cook until thoroughly heated. Discard unopened shells.
4

While 8 cups of water doesn't seem like much, it's enough to steam the lobsters. If clams are unavailable, substitute an equal amount of mussels.