BOUILLABAISSE, AMERICAN STYLE
WITH LOBSTER, SCALLOPS, AND SHRIMP
Source: America's Best Recipes, 1989: A 1989 Hometown Collection by Leisure Arts, Oxmoor House
Makes 11 cups

1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 leek, finely chopped, white part only
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil

2 cans (28 oz each) Italian-style tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 cups clam juice
2 cups Chablis, or other dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon saffron
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 pounds lobster tail, split, cleaned, and coarsely chopped
1/2 pound fresh sea scallops
grated Parmesan cheese

Saute onion, celery, leek, and garlic in olive oil in a large Dutch oven 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add tomatoes and next 9 ingredients (clam juice through saffron); stir well. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Peel and devein shrimp. Add shrimp, lobster, and sea scallops to tomato mixture, stirring well; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and lobster and scallops are done.

Remove and discard bay leaf. Ladle into individual soup bowls, and sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan cheese.

Note from Tom:
I made it last night (1/13/2006)

It is an awarding winning dish. I could not come up with 1/2 lb of sea scallops but opted for 1/4 lb as I didn't feel like running up and down Coastal Highway to other stores so I bought a pound of jumbo lump backfin crab meat and used 3/4's pound. Let me tell you if I ever need to impress guests - this will be served. Also had a mini 9-grain loaf of bread which I heated in the oven and served with softened real butter. What a treat and have enough for two more meals. - Tom Shunick