Bouillabaisse

Ingredients

• 1 (1- to 1 1/4 -lb) live lobster
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb boiling potatoes
  1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1/2 pound large shrimp in shells
• Rouille
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 9 cups white fish stock (or store-bought)
• 3 pounds white fish fillets (such as monkfish,
  turbot, red snapper, striped bass, porgy,
  grouper, and/or cod), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound cockles or small hard-shelled
  clams, scrubbed
• 1/2 pound cultivated mussels, scrubbed
  and any beards removed

Method

Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water.

Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot.

Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles.

Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2-inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan.

Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

AGA Cookers You can adjust the placement of your pot around the hob to assist in distributing the correct amount of heat, if you’re finding that the Boiling Plate is distributing too much heat we encourage that you transfer your pot to the Simmering Plate where you’ll be able to cook the above low and slow.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper.

Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

AGA Cookers If you haven’t yet already, transfer your pot over to the Boiling Plate to bring the pot to boil, then return the pot back to the Simmering Plate and cover it until the potatoes are almost tender.

Add thicker pieces of fish and cockles to soup and simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, lobster, including juices, and remaining fish and simmer, covered, until they are just cooked through and mussels open wide, about 5 minutes.

Stir 3 tablespoons broth from soup into rouille until blended.

Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6 to 8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and shellfish from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.

Top each serving with 1 teaspoon rouille and serve remainder on the side.