Seafood Stew

Recipe by Ina Garten. Originally published in her book, Barefoot in Paris, but aired on Food Network today. Garten's recipe for Seafood Stock posted separately.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 small)
• 2  cups small white potatoes, large-diced
• 2  cups fennel, chopped (1 large bulb)
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2  cups  good white wine
• 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1  quart  seafood stock or 1  quart  fish stock
• 1  tablespoon garlic, chopped (3 cloves)
• 1  teaspoon saffron thread
• 1  lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
• 1  lb  halibut, cut in large chunks
• 1  lb  bass fillet, cut in large chunks
• 24  mussels, cleaned
• 3  tablespoons Pernod
• 1  teaspoon orange zest, grated
•  toasted baguette, sliced, buttered, and rubbed with garlic

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.
2. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
3. Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open.
4. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.