Bouillabaisse

I'm sure there are French chefs out there with rather strong opinions as to what classifies as a Bouillabaisse. I'm certainly no French chef. I was looking for a healthy way to enjoy seafood. Since its winter here in NY, a piece of grilled fish just didn't seem hearty enough to do the trick. My mom gave me a few different recipes that I pieced together to create my own version of this delicious fish stew. Feel free to substitute the seafood for whatever looks fresh at the market that day.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  stalk celery, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1⁄4 cup green bell pepper, finely diced (about 1/2 a small pepper)
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•  salt and pepper
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1  cup  clam juice
• 1  cup crushed tomatoes
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup water
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 1⁄2 lb  fish fillet (any sturdy white fish will do, I used Chilean Sea Bass)
• 8  littleneck clams (includes a few extra in case some don't open)
• 1⁄4 lb bay scallop
• 1⁄4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet; sauté celery, green pepper, onion, and garlic until soft.
2. Add bay leaf, thyme, and crushed red pepper to the vegetables and sauté for a minute or so.
3. Add wine, clam juice, tomatoes, ¼ cup water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Give it a stir every so often and add the additional ¼ cup water if the sauce looks too thick.
4. Add fish filets and clams. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork and the clams pop open.
5. Add shrimp and scallops. Simmer uncovered until cooked through, approximately 3 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with toasted baguette.