Seafood soup with fennel

 

     Any firm-fleshed white fish such as cod, grouper or tile fish may be substituted for the scrod. Serve with lots of crusty bread.

Makes 6 servings (8 cups)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small heads fennel, trimmed, cored and sliced (2½ cups)
• 1 medium-size onion, sliced
• 1 medium-size carrot, pared and sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon leaf thyme, crumbled
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Pinch powdered saffron (optional)
• 2 cups water
• 1 bottle/8 oz clam juice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 dozen littleneck or cherrystone clams, scrubbed
• ½ pound scrod fillet, cut into chunks
• ½ pound medium-size shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut lengthwise in half

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add fennel, onion, carrot and garlic ; cook 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato, thyme, salt, pepper, and saffron if using ; cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
4. Add water, clam juice and white wine ; bring to boiling over high heat.
5. Add clams, lower heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until clams begin to open ; discard any unopened clams.
6. Add scrod and shrimp, cook, covered, 3 to 4 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with fork and shrimp turn opaque.

BON APPÉTIT