BECU Bouillabaisse with Samantha Ferraro of The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Recipe from Samantha Ferraro of The Little Ferraro Kitchen

We are happy to have Samantha Ferraro involved with our KISS Program presented by BECU.” I cooked with local ingredients from fishermen I have personally met is a true Highlight".  

Samantha Ferraro is the author of The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen and founder of the food blog, The Little Ferraro Kitchen. Her recipes have been featured in PBS Food, The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Babble, Yummly, and The Washington Post. Samantha lives in Bellingham, Washington.

BECU Bouillabaisse

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 leek, thinly sliced and washed well

• 1 small fennel, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 large tomatoes, chopped

• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped

• 2 pinches saffron

• 1 large piece of orange peel

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 cups seafood stock

• 3 pounds of assorted seafood:

  • 1 pound clams and/or mussels from Taylor Shellfish

  • ½ pound large shrimp from Icy Fresh Seafood

  • ½ pound scallops from Sea to Shore Seafood Co.

  • 1 pound halibut from Lummi Seafood Market

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Chopped parsley, leaves, finely chopped for garnish

• Baguette, for serving

Directions

1. Bring a large wide stock up to medium heat and add olive oil and butter. 

2. Once melted, add the sliced leeks and fennel and sauté until softened and fragrant, but not browned. 

3. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another minute. Stir the tomato paste into the garlic for another 30 seconds. 

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, with their juices along with the thyme, saffron, orange peel and bay leaf and give everything a good sauté for 30 seconds- 1 minute. 

5. Pour the seafood stock in and simmer for 30 minutes. 

6. While simmering, add the fish that take longer to cook, the halibut or rock fish and simmer until halfway cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

7. Add the mussels and clams and and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. 

8. Then add the shrimp and scallops and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes. At this point, the fish should be cooked through and mussels and clams just opened. 

9. Remove from heat and taste broth for seasoning. 

1. Ladle the bouillabaisse into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with toasted baguette.