Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups good white wine
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 quart Seafood Stock, recipe follows, or store-bought fish stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon saffron threads

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
24 mussels, cleaned
3 tablespoons Pernod
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic

Directions

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.

Ingredients

Seafood Stock:

2 tablespoons good olive oil
Shells from 1 pound large shrimp
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup good white wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems

Directions

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.

Yield: 1 quart