SEYMOUR BROWN ALE BOUILLABAISSE

[seymour]

Seymour Brown Ale Bouillabaisse

Let's call this an ugly-American corruption of the semi-divine French Provençal fish stew. Beer instead of wine, canned clams and mild whitefish in the place of diverse seafood and shellfish, dry spices and canned tomatoes instead of fresh, etc...but somehow it's still delicious.

Make the broth ahead. Then cook the fish just before serving. Pair with garden salad, fresh crusty bread for lapping-up, lemon wedges to squeeze over the fish, and more beer.

Ingredients:
½ cup, olive oil, the best you can manage
¼ cup, fennel, chopped, I've used the root or the seeds, both taste great
1 large sweet white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 bottle Brown Ale, Baltic Porter is my favourite so far, but feel free to experiment
2 fresh Roma tomatoes, diced (or simpler, 1 can diced tomatoes)
1 small can tomato puree or paste
1 can clams in their own juice
2 bay leaves
A hefty shake each of: thyme, sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper
3 cups, water
A couple pats of butter
1 or 2 lbs ≈ 1 kg, mild white fish, cut into medium sized fillets
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions:
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat oil. Sauté fennel, onion and garlic until translucent. Meanwhile, puree some diced tomatoes and clams, then pour into the pot. Add beer, remaining tomatoes, bay leaves, spices and water to the pot. Stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for as many hours as you can stand. This also works well in a slow-cooker for the day.

Just before serving, heat-up a cast iron griddle, melt some butter in it, sear the fish fillets and cook several minutes on each side, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste. Alternately, bake, grill, or steam as you like.

To serve, place a fish fillet in a shallow bowl, pour the broth over it, sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley and squeeze a lemon wedge over it all. Spoon in one hand, crusty bread in the other, additional bottle of Brown Ale before you, GO FOR IT!

[far9410]

Mmmm delicious!