Sword Coast Seafood Bouillabaisse

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 garlic cloves; 4 finely chopped, {=amount3/v} left whole
• 1.5 teaspoons ground fennel seed
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more if needed
• ¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads (optional)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups fish or seafood stock
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 strips orange zest, about 4 inches long by {=amount3/v} inch wide
• 2 tablespoons anise-flavored liqueur, such as pastis or Pernod
• 1.5 pounds littleneck clams, rinsed and scrubbed well, any gaping clams discarded
• 1.5 pounds firm, meaty white fish fillets (such as monkfish, swordfish, hake, haddock, cod, halibut, or tilapia), skinned, if necessary, and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 pounds mussels, debearded if necessary, rinsed and scrubbed, any gaping mussels discarded
• Thick slices of baguette, pain au levain, or hearty French or Italian bread, toasted, for serving
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the leek, chopped garlic, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, and saffron (if using) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute more. Add the wine, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, for about 1 minute more. Add the fish stock, tomatoes, and orange zest and return to a simmer. Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes more. Pick out and discard the bay leaves and orange zest strips, if desired. Add the anise liqueur and stir to combine.
2. Add the clams to the pot, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and submerge it in the liquid in the pot, arranging it in as much of a single layer as possible around the clams. Add the mussels, replace the cover, and cook until the clams and mussels open (when serving, discard any that don't) and the fish is fully opaque and firm when gently squeezed (cooking time will depend on the type and thickness of the fish), 8 to 14 minutes more. Set aside off the heat to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut the remaining clove of garlic in half and swipe over the toasts, then drizzle with olive oil.
4. Add most of the parsley to the stew and stir gently to incorporate but try not to break up the fish too much. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve at once, with the toasts, in warmed shallow soup plates, drizzling each serving with some olive oil and sprinkling with the remaining parsley.