A bouillabaisse made easier

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

If halibut is a little pricy or hard to find, any firm-fleshed fish would make a great substitute for this easy bouillabaisse. Try snapper, grouper, orange roughy, mahi mahi, sturgeon, swordfish or tuna. If you like it spicy, add the whole can of chilies in adobo sauce.

A simple, delicious seafood soup.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic in oil
1 link hot Italian sausage, sliced
1 (8-ounce) bottle of clam juice
1 (14½ ounce) can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried, crushed thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into chunks
1/2 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
1/2 pound little neck clams
12 ounce halibut fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sausage link slices. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until sausages are cooked. Add the clam juice and bring to a boil. Add remainder of ingredients, cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the clams and mussels have opened. Remove from heat, discard any unopened clams or mussels and bay leaves. Ladle into bowls and serve with baguettes and enjoy.

Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.