BOUILLABAISSE

Bouillabaisse in Lobster Stock

There are as many different versions of Bouillabaisse as there are fish in the sea.  In this version, I used only shrimps, mussels, clams, calamari, and a lobster tail.  The seafood stock should be home-made, but I've seen versions of Bouillabaisse made with clam broth.  In this recipe, I used home-made lobster stock.

Bouillabaisse, or fishermen's stew, originated in the Provence region of France in the city of Marseilles.  The fishermen would create a stew from the fish they were unable to sell at the local markets.   Onions, celery, leeks, fennel and tomatoes are simmered in a seafood broth and served with the fish.  But what makes a bouillabaisse different from other fish stews is the herbs and citrus essence that help enhance its flavor.

Bouillabaisse is traditionally served with a Rouille, a mayonnaise made of olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper.  It is served with grilled slices of crusty bread.

I like to serve my Bouillabaisse directly from the pot.  The Rouille and bread are served separately on the side.  Serves 2

For the Bouillabaisse:
2 Quarts of Lobster Stock (or Seafood stock)
Pinch of Saffron Threads
1 cup leeks, julienned
2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Juice and zest of one orange
1 cup fennel, julienned
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 calamari body, cleaned (about 8 oz)
6 littleneck clams
1 pound mussels
8 Jumbo (U-15) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lobster tail

In a large Dutch oven, heat seafood (or lobster) stock over medium/high heat and then bring to a simmer. Add the saffron, leeks, tomatoes, orange juice, orange zest, fennel, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add the calamari and clams and cook for about 3-4minutes. Add the shrimp and mussels and lobster tail. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the shells have opened.  Discard any shells that do not open.

For the Rouille:

1 red pepper, roasted and peeled
3 garlic cloves
1 cup crust-less bread cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
6 slices of crusty bread

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except for the oil. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil.

To Serve:

The Bouillabaisse could be served directly from the pot or the seafood could be removed from the pot and placed on a large platter. Pour the stock into a serving bowl. Serve the Rouille and crusty bread on the side of the Bouillabaisse.

SEAFOOD PAELLA - ARROZ A LA MARINERA

Seafood Paella

This is a recipe adapted from Tienda.com http://www.tienda.com/

1 large onion, finely chopped

5 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Pink Salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron threads

3 small squid, cleaned bodies sliced into 1/4-inch rings

1 1/2 cups medium-grain Spanish paella rice

4 cups lobster (or fish) stock

1 cup dry white wine
4 U5 colossal shrimps, peeled and deveined
2 # mussels, scrubbed and debearded

Saute the onion in the oil in a 15-inch pan until soft, stirring often. Stir in the garlic, and before it begins to color, add the tomatoes. Add the pink salt to taste the sweet paprika and saffron, stir well and cook until tomatoes are reduced to a sauce and the oil is sizzling. Add the squid and cook, stirring for about two minutes. Add the rice and stir well until all the grains are coated.

Separately, bring the stock and wine to a boil in a saucepan. Pour over the rice, bring to a boil, and add salt to. Stir well and spread the rice out evenly in the pan (do not stir again).

U5 Shrimps

Cook the rice over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, moving the pan around and rotating it so that the rice cooks evenly.  Lay the shrimps on top after 10 minutes and turn them when they have become pink on the first side.  Remove shrimps and set aside.  Keep warm.

Add more hot stock toward the end if the rice seems too dry.  When the rice is done, turn off the heat and cover the pan with foil.
Separately, steam the mussels with chopped garlic, about 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of water in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. As soon as they open, they are cooked.
Arrange the mussels on top of the paella.

LOBSTER STOCK

Steamed Lobsters at Lobster Place

Recently, we visited Lobster Place in Chelsea Market and bought some fully-cooked lobsters which we brought home to eat. http://www.lobsterplace.com/ 

In my opinion, Lobster Place has the best lobsters outside of New England.  With a name like that, one would think so.  I haven't had lobster since last fall and several days preceding my visit to the Market, I had a number of conversations with my friends about lobster. One told me about a phenomenal lobster and clam bake on the beach in Rhode Island.  That did it.  I needed to get some lobster.  And what better place to go other than Lobster Place?  



However, Lobster Place has too many beautiful proteins that I can't resist, but I'll keep my focus on lobster (stock) for now.

After enjoying the richness of the lobster meat, I saved the leftover bodies to use for a lobster stock. 

Lobster Bodies in the Pan

I always make my own stocks and broths from scratch and using lobster bodies is no different then using the carcass from a roasted chicken to make a chicken stock.  This was a perfect time to explore and create, so I did a little research and put together a recipe for a lobster stock.  I added and omitted ingredients and made a stock that resulted in one with a full lobster flavor and a hint of sweetness yet a little tartness, too.  The aroma and taste made me feel like I was still at Lobster Place.  I know.  Some people don't like the smell of food--let alone seafood--permeating their kitchen.  I do. 

Add Seaweed Before Simmering

The stock could be used for risotto, for fish sauces or as a broth for soup.  Also, I would think, that it could be an excellent choice to use when steaming live lobsters.  Haven't done that (yet) but will give it a try.  Since this made four quarts of stock, I certainly will have enough to experiment with. 

Bodies and shells from two 2-pound lobsters

4 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups onions, chopped

3 cups celery, chopped

3 cups carrots, chopped

1/2 leek, chopped

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 fennel bulb, chopped

6 sprigs of fresh parsley

4 bay leaves

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 cup of fresh seaweed*

Kosher salt, to taste

5 quarts of water

Break the lobster shells into pieces.  Open the bodies and remove the gray gills. Remove the sand sac from between the eyes. Crush the bodies.

Heat olive oil in stockpot.  Sauté the onions, celery, carrots and leek over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the lobster shells and crushed bodies and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and fennel. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the parsley, bay leaves, and then the dry sherry. Mix well and cook until the alcohol burns off, about 3-4 minutes. Add about 5 quarts of water to cover all ingredients by2-3 inches.  Finally, add the seaweed and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat and simmer gently for two hours.  Taste and add salt as desired.   Let stock cool and then remove the lobster shells/bodies and produce components.  Then strain the liquid through a chinoise or a china cap lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter.

Pour stock into quart-sized containers. Label and date.  The stock should keep for up to one week in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

*Available from the fish market