Seafood Stew With Garlic Rouille Croutons

ITALIAN SEAFOOD STEW WITH GARLIC-HERB CROUTONS

Steps:

• Discard any broken-shell or open (dead) clams. Place remaining clams in large container. Cover with 1 1/2 cups water and the vinegar. Let stand 30 minutes; drain. Scrub clams in cold water.
• Meanwhile, discard any broken-shell or open (dead) mussels. Scrub remaining mussels in cold water, removing any barnacles with a dull paring knife. Pull beard by giving it a tug (using a kitchen towel may help). If you have trouble removing it, use a pliers to grip and pull gently. Place mussels in large container. Cover with cool water. Agitate water with hand, then drain and discard water. Repeat several times until water runs clear; drain.
• Heat oven to 350°F. In 4-quart Dutch oven, mix clam juice, tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine and 1/2 cup of the pesto. Layer cod, shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until mussel and clam shells have opened.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix butter and remaining pesto until well blended. Spread on both sides of bread. On ungreased cookie sheet, place bread in single layer. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until toasted on both sides.
• Discard any mussels or clams that don't open. Spoon stew into soup bowls; top with croutons.

SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• 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. 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. 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. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.;
• Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1¿2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH GARLIC ROUILLE CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the seafood stock:.
• Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, fennel, garlic, leeks and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the ketchup, rosemary, thyme, and the crab and lobster shells and stir. Add the peppercorns and 16 cups (4 liters) water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the stock into a smaller saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by two-thirds, about 45 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
• For the roasted leeks and mushrooms:.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes more. Add the roasted peppers (along with any of their juices) and a ladle of seafood stock. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• For the rouille croutons:.
• Soak 2 thick slices bread in the seafood stock. Squeeze out the liquid and add the bread to the food processor along with the garlic, chile and egg yolk. Buzz it up. Slowly add the olive oil while processing until a smooth paste forms. Add a little of the seafood stock if the rouille begins to split. Season with salt and pepper. Toast the remaining 4 to 6 slices bread (one for each serving) in a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Set aside.
• For the seafood stew:.
• Return the seafood stock to a simmer and add the clams. Cook until they start to open, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and cook until they open, another 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and lobster meat and simmer for 2 minutes. Before serving, add the peas to the leeks-mushroom mixture to warm them up. Spread the rouille on the toasted bread. Divide the leek-mushroom mixture among bowls, top with the crab meat, and then the seafood stew. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with a live scallop on the shell and sprinkle with chervil. Serve the rouille croutons on the side.
• Disclaimer:.
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served use shell eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method.

GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• In a skillet heat oil and garlic. Saute bread in oil until browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Cut into bite-sized cubes.

SALT CURED COD AND ROASTED GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the cod and roasted garlic spread: Remove any brown parts from the cod. With a mortar and pestle, crush 2 bunches dill and mix with the coarse salt, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon peppercorns. Rub the salt mixture on the cod. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon peppercorns, the shallots and 1 smashed garlic clove. Rinse the cod to remove the excess salt mixture, then add to the saucepan and cook until flaky, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cod to a bowl and discard the milk mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Cut the garlic head in half horizontally. Drizzle the cut sides with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and roast for 30 minutes.
• Flake the fish into the bowl with a fork or your fingers. Add the remaining 1/3 cup oil and the roasted garlic, squeezing the pulp from the skins, and mash until combined and creamy. Add the remaining handfuls chives, dill and parsley. Season with pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the croutons: Heat the oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and let it infuse the oil. Add the bread and toast on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, spread the cod mixture on the toast. Serve with lemon wedges.

THE ULTIMATE SEA FOOD SOUP

Steps:

• To make the fish stock, hack up the crabs with a large sharp knife and put them into a big stockpot. Peel and de-vein the shrimp and put the shells into the pot (reserve the shrimp for later). Add the fish bones on top. Add lemon and lemon juice, bay leaves, fennel, strip of orange zest, parsley, and thyme. Add the tomatoes, squeezing as you add them. Add garlic, leek, onion, water, and wine. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Place over a medium heat. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, but don't let it boil. Skim and discard the fish foam that rises to the surface. Remove from heat.
• Put the lobster claws into a large cast iron serving pot and strain the stock over them.
• Turn the temperature up and simmer for 5 minutes. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of saffron. Lastly add the reserved shrimp and lobster tails, and cook for 3 minutes. Add large bite sized pieces of sea bass and cook for 3 minutes.
• To serve: Place pieces of seafood in a big soup bowl. Put a spoonful of Rouille on Croutons and ladle soup on top.
• To make the rouille, put the red pepper, garlic, mayonnaise, saffron, cayenne, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until combined and smooth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• To make the croutons lightly brush the baguette slices with olive oil and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes.

FISH SOUP WITH BREAD AND ROUILLE

Steps:

• Make broth:
• Wash green and white parts of leek separately in a bowl of cold water, then lift out with a slotted spoon and pat dry. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook leek greens, onion, celery, and carrots, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add saffron, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add fresh tomatoes and tomato purée and cook, stirring, 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by about half, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Carefully pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, then discard solids.
• Prepare croûtes while broth simmers:
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot. Brush bread with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then grill on all sides until grill marks appear. Tear bread into rough 3-inch pieces and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until crisp outside but soft inside, about 10 minutes. Cool croûtes.
• Heat butter in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook white part of leek, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add fish, hot broth, and salt and bring to a simmer (fish will be cooked through). Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rouille.
• Put croûtes in soup plates and ladle soup over. Sprinkle with oregano and parsley and serve remaining rouille on the side.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH SAFFRON AND ROUILLE

Steps:

• Make the rouille. Preheat broiler. Cut the pepper into thick strips and place them face down on foil paper on a broiling rack. Broil until the skins are charred. Place in a closed paper bag for a few minutes, then peel off the skin.
• Put the pepper strips in the jar of a blender with bread crumbs, egg yolks and the garlic. Puree. Very gradually, little by little, add the olive oil until you have a thick, mayonaise-like sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes on to boil. Rinse the leeks, slice them and rinse the slices carefully to remove any traces of grit.
• Bring the wine to boil, add the saffron and set aside. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy casserole and soften the leeks with the garlic. When soft, add the tomatoes, thyme and the saffron-white wine mixture. Cover and allow to simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, adding a little water or wine if it gets dry.
• Meanwhile, debeard the mussels and wash them thoroughly, discarding any that are open and refuse to close when tapped, or that are broken. Place the shrimp in a small bowl of cold water and add salt.
• Rinse the shrimp. Add the mussels, shrimp and scallops to the casserole. Cook until the mussels have opened (three to four minutes). Serve the stew in soup bowls, ladling on the sauce. Serve the potatoes and the rouille separately.

BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• Make croutons:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.
• Arrange bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic.
• Make soup:
• Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water. Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot. Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles. Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2-inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan.
• Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add thicker pieces of fish and cockles to soup and simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, lobster, including juices, and remaining fish and simmer, covered, until they are just cooked through and mussels open wide, about 5 minutes.
• Stir 3 tablespoons broth from soup into rouille until blended.
• Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6 to 8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and shellfish from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.
• Top each serving with 1 teaspoon rouille and serve remainder on the side.