Provencal Shrimp Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, fine dice

• 2 carrots, fine dice

• 3 celery, fine dice

• 1 head fennel, chopped 

• 5 garlic cloves, crushed

• 6 sprigs thyme

• Large pinch chili flakes

• ¼ C. Pernod or other dry anise liquor 

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 4 C. fish stock

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 # mussels (in shell for seasoning)

• 1 # shrimp

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• salt and pepper

• Crusty Bread to serve

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a stockpot and saute the onion, carrot, celery, and fennel until soft.  Next add the garlic, thyme and chili flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

2. Deglaze the pan with the pernod and burn off the alcohol.

3. Next, add the tomatoes, fish stock, bay leaves and mussels, and season with salt and pepper Bring to a boil, and then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.  

4. After the stew has simmered, remove the cover and remove the mussels shells and discard.  Most of the mussels meat will fall out into the stew and this is ok. 

5. Add the shrimp to the stew now and simmer gently until the shrimp are just cooked.  Add the parsley and check again for salt and pepper.  Serve with crusty bread.