Kristin’s North Coast Fish Stew

Ingredients

• 1 large fennel bulb, sliced (white part only)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large link of andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4” rounds
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 3 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon of fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed quality tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1 cup of white wine (a dry white works well)
• large pinch of saffron
• zest of 1 orange
• juice of 1 orange
• 1 cup fumet (fish stock), chicken broth or clam juice
• 1 (14 ounce) can of rinsed cannellini beans (or 1 1/2 cup soaked and cooked beans)
• 1 pound skinless fillets of thick white-fleshed fish such as halibut, cut into chunks
• 1 medium to large cleaned dungeness crab, disassembled (use kitchen shears to crack the body and legs)
• 1 pound mussels or steamer clams
• 1 pound scallops (or shrimp, octopus or squid)
• 1 tablespoon of capers
• 1/2 cup of assorted olives with pits
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• butter and pressed garlic to taste