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I recently described my new kitchen to my friend Esther Press McManus, who was the chief recipe developer and baker at Le Bus for many years. I told her I have the kitchen of my dreams in the colors of Dijon mustard, artichoke and pomegranate — the hues of Provence.
After speaking with Esther, I was inspired to make a French fish soup. Bouillabaisse, one of the national dishes of the country, takes all day to prepare. Besides, where could eel be found this time of year? I prefer to make cioppino, the American version created by Italian fishermen in San Francisco.
I also realized I hadn’t made Manhattan Clam Chowder in a long time. I don’t know the origin of this soup, but it contains tomatoes while the New England version does not. The word chowder comes from the French "chaudiere," a large pot used by French fishermen when they made soup.
I also decided to play with a recipe for seafood bisque. A bisque is a light soup that contains cream, wine or sherry, depending on the version. Crabmeat, shrimp or lobster can be used.
A chowder or bisque would be a tasty prelude to a Valentine’s Day dinner. If you opt for seafood soup, it can be a meal itself. Just add a green salad, loaf of bread, your favorite wine and chocolate dessert.
Seafood Soup
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 small onions, diced
1 large fennel bulb, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups of dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can of chopped plum
tomatoes, with their juice
1 quart of bottled clam juice or seafood stock (store-bought or homemade)
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of saffron
1 pound of large shrimp, peeled
1 pound of fresh halibut steak, cut in chunks
1 pound of mussels, preferably Prince Edward Island
18 littleneck clams
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the onions, fennel, salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-low for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown pieces. Add the tomatoes, clam juice or stock, garlic and saffron. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Add the shrimp, halibut, mussels and clams. Bring to a boil again. Lower the heat, cover and cook for five minutes.
Remove from the heat and let stand for about five minutes. The mussel and clam shells should be open. Discard any that are not.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: Any type of fine fish may be used, such as red snapper or sea bass. A combination of two different fishes is also an option.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 quart of bottled clam juice
1 (28-ounce) can of chopped plum
tomatoes, with their juice
1 pound of fresh clams, chopped
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium-high in a 5-quart pot. Add the onions, celery and potatoes and sauté for about eight to 10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Add the clam juice and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook for about five to eight minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork. Add the clams and cook for another eight to 10 minutes.
Serves six.
Crab Bisque
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 leeks, with white and pale-green parts, thoroughly washed and chopped
Pinch of imported sweet Hungarian
paprika
1 pound of lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
4 cups of bottled clam juice or store-bought fish stock
1/2 cup of dry sherry
1/4 cup of flour
2 cups of half-and-half
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium-high in a 5-quart pot. Add the leeks. Lower to medium and sauté for about 10 minutes, until tender and translucent. Add the paprika and crabmeat and stir well. Add the clam juice or stock and sherry and stir well.
Transfer the crabmeat and leeks to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade using a large, slotted spoon. Pulse until coarsely pureed.
Add the flour to the pot and stir well with a wooden spoon over medium-low heat for about a minute. Add the half-and-half. Blend well with a wire whisk. Stir in the crabmeat and leeks. Add the tomato paste, salt and pepper. Heat gently, until hot but not boiling.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: To make shrimp bisque, substitute 1 pound of peeled, cooked shrimp for the crabmeat.
