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The Le Creuset 7.25 Qt. Bouillabaisse works beautifully for this delicious seafood soup. Bring the aromatic dish to the table for serving to 8 hungry diners.
4 fat cloves garlic
1 tbsp. sea salt (or use kosher)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. mussels
2 lbs. clams
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, divided
2 cups clam juice mixed with 2 cups spring water (or more to taste)
8 slices toasted Italian bread for serving
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your heavy chef’s knife. Remove the peel. Sprinkle the garlic with the salt and smear with the side of the knife to make a puree. Add to the olive oil and set aside for up to 1/2 hour to blend the flavors.
Wash and scrub the mussels and clams discarding any that are broken or open and removing any “beards” on the mussels. Also discard any shellfish that feel heavier than normal for they may contain sand.
Heat the olive oil/garlic mixture in the Bouillabaisse on medium heat but do not color the garlic. Add the shellfish to the pan then pour over the wine and sprinkle over half of the parsley.
Cover the pan and cook about 2 minutes. Uncover, stir the contents then re-cover and cook an additional 2 minutes. Check; the shellfish should have all opened. Discard any that remain closed. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels and clams to a large bowl.
Strain the cooking liquid through a coffee filter or cheesecloth-lined sieve to remove any vestiges of sand. Remove the mussels and clams from their shells and reserve. Add the diluted clam juice and remaining parsley to the cooking liquid. Just before serving, reheat the broth until steaming hot. Place a slice of toast in the bottom of each of 8 shallow soup plates. Evenly divide the clams and mussels into eight portions and place a portion on each piece of toast. Ladle the hot broth over each plate and serve at once.
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