The Lady's Bouillabaisse

• 1  lb  mussels
• 2  lb  firm fresh fish fillets, such as grouper or striped bass
• 1/3  cup  olive oil
• 1 1/2  tablespoon  finely chopped garlic
• 3/4  cup  chopped onions
• 5 Roma tomatoes, peeled and sliced, or 1 cup canned Italian tomatoes
• 1  teaspoon  fennel seed
• Pinch saffron
• 1  tablespoon  plus 1/2-teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoon  butter plus more, for the bread and plating
• 2 1/2  cup  boiling water
• 1/2 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
• 4 crab halves, cut in 1/2
• 1  lb  unpeeled shrimp
• 1 loaf French bread

Wash and scrub the mussels in cold water.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large heavy pot. Add the mussels and cover the pot. * Steam for 6 to 8 minutes or until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that didn't open. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cut the fish into 1-inch thick slices.

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, onions, tomatoes, fennel, saffron, salt, and pepper. Add the mussel broth to the pot and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the boiling water and clam juice. Bring to a rolling boil, add the crabs and fish, and continue to boil for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the mussels along with the shrimp, and boil for an additional 5 minutes.

Slice the French bread, butter it, and toast lightly. Serve the bouillabaisse in large individual bowls lined with toasted French bread; pile in the seafood and ladle the broth over it. Top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of butter. Pass the remaining bread at the table.

*Cook's Note: If you like a spicier soup you may add a couple of whole hot peppers to the pot at the start of cooking.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: 8 servings

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007