Seafood Stew With Grilled Garlic Bread

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.

COD AND CHORIZO STEW WITH GRILLED GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saute pan or deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly rendered, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Crush the tomatoes by hand and add them to the pan along with their juices. Stir in the chipotle and paprika, then stir in the chickpeas and roasted red peppers; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then nestle the cod in the stew. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the cod is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Brush the bread with olive oil and grill, flipping once, until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Rub the grilled bread with the whole garlic clove and season with salt and pepper.
• Garnish the stew and bread with the parsley and serve right away.

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.

GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the butter, garlic, Parmesan and parsley. Add the salt and generously season with pepper. Set aside while you cut the baguette.
• Cut deep slits into the baguette, 1-inch apart - don't cut all the way through the loaf - and place the baguette on a large piece of foil. Using a teaspoon or an offset spatula, generously spread the seasoned butter inside each slit. Make sure to reach the bottom of the slit; don't be shy here.
• Wrap the baguette in the foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baguette from the oven and unwrap the top (leave the bread on the foil). If you're adding mozzarella, use the offset spatula or spoon to gently open each slit and tuck a piece of mozzarella in (it's O.K. if the cheese pops out from the top a little). Return bread to the oven and bake until crisp and golden on top, another 5 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife (or tear with your hands) and serve at once.