Luckys Clams Provencal Food

PROVENCAL SHELLFISH STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper, and saffron and cook another minute. Stir in the vermouth and simmer until reduced by about half. Lightly crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the pot; stir in their juices, add the water, orange zest, bay leaf, cover, and simmer until the flavors come together, about 20 minutes.
• Adjust the heat so that the broth simmers briskly. Stir in the clams, cover the pot, and cook until they just begin to open, 6 to 8 minutes. (To keep the clams from overcooking, transfer any fully opened ones to a bowl.) Add the scallops and shrimp and cook, uncovered, until they are just cooked through and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the vinegar, parsley, and return any of the cooked clams along with their juices. Season with salt, if needed. Divide stew and shellfish among 4 warm bowls. Serve.

PROVENçAL FISH STEW

Steps:

• Drain chickpeas. If you used dried, reserve cooking liquid; if they are canned, discard the liquid and rinse the chickpeas. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add bread crumbs, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until they're crisp and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet; increase heat to medium-high. When oil is hot, add garlic, olives, capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, a minute or two. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it darkens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Start adding spinach a handful at a time; keep stirring until all the spinach fits in the pan and starts to release its water; sprinkle with a little more pepper, then add the stock, chickpeas and red chile flakes if you're using them. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then stir in the squid and the shrimp. Cook until the seafood is just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among bowls, sprinkle with bread crumbs and serve.

LUCKY'S CLAMS PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Slice the potatoes about one-quarter inch thick and place in a pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and boil for seven minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Peel the onions, halve them and slice them about one-quarter-inch thick. Trim the fennel bulb and slice about one-quarter-inch thick. Seed the peppers, remove the membranes and dice.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Lay out the clams in a single layer in a baking dish. In a bowl, combine the onions, fennel, peppers, wine, water, garlic, plum tomatoes, tarragon, cilantro, butter and Pernod. Top the clams with this mixture. Roast the clams for eight minutes. Turn them and roast for about eight minutes more, until the clams open (discard any unopened clams).
• To serve, place six clams into each of six heated bowls. With tongs, distribute the tomatoes, onions, fennel and potatoes around the clams. Pour equal amounts of the broth and remaining solids over the clams. Garnish with the scallions and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with garlic mayonnaise on the side. (See recipe.)