BOUILLABAISSE The Classic Holiday Fish Stew

Prep seafood:

Clean and chop the following filleted fish and seafood into bite sized portions;

1 lb. – Cape Haddie White Fish, (substitute with Bass or other lake fish)

1 lb. – Cod, (substitute with Walleye or other lake fish)

1 lb. – Red Snapper, (substitute with Yellow Perch, Blue Gill or other lake fish)

2 ½ lb. – Squid, cleaned and sliced “Calamari” style, into 1” wide slices or rings. Please leave baby squid whole!

6 – Scampi, leave whole or peel and chop into generously-sized pieces, (substitute with Lobster, Crab, Shrimp Crawfish or Scallops)

2 doz. – Mussels, in shells, (or, small Oysters or Clams) Leave sand in the shells, Har-Har!

Prep canned goods:

1 – 46 oz. can Tomato Juice

2½ Cups – Medium Dry White Wine, (IE: Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio)

16 oz. – Clam Juice

2 – 1 lb 12 oz. cans, Whole Tomatoes, squish by hand into edible morsels, save liquid.

1 Cup – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, preferably Italian, but Greek will do.

Chop these fresh vegetables into a medium dice:

2 Cups – Leeks

2 Cups – Celery

2 Cups – Onions

8 - Garlic Cloves, finely diced

Prep seasonings:

4 Tbsp. – Fresh Parsley, finely minced

4 – Large, Whole Bay Leaves

2 Tsp. – Fennel Seeds

1 Tbsp. – Sea Salt

1 Tsp. – Black, White and Red Ground or Whole Peppercorns

1½ Tbsp. – Old Bay Seasoning

To combine:

In a large, 8 quart+ soup pot, heat up 4 tbsp. of olive oil. sauté the garlic and fresh vegetables, (sans tomatoes). Add the liquids and bring to a boil. Add seasonings. Lower heat and simmer, stirring until the vegetable are soft and mixture well-blended. Begin adding fish and seafood portions. Add fish pieces that take longer to cook first. Fill the pot to brimming with additional fish and seafood portions, extra wine and fish stock. Simmer on low heat covered until last added seafood is cooked through,; perhaps five or ten minutes. During cooking, add several squirts of Tabasco Sauce and Worcestershire Sauce to the stew to taste. Try a shot or two of your favorite cognac, sherry or bourbon. Put some in the soup, too! Serve with fresh-baked bread and whipped sweet butter. This recipe makes 2 gallons.