INGREDIENTS

1½ lbs. Butternut Squash – peeled, seeded, cut into large dice 700 gr.
1 lb Organic Fingerling Potatoes – cut in pieces on the bias 450 gr.
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil 45 mL
1 cup Spanish Onion - diced 250 mL
1 cup Fennel - diced 250 mL
3 cloves Garlic - minced 3 cloves
3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste 45 mL
1 Tbsp. Thyme – fresh, chopped 15 mL
1 Bay Leaf 1
4 cups Clam Juice 1 lt.
20 oz. Tomatoes – canned, diced 560 mL
10 oz. White Wine 280 mL
6 oz. Dry Sherry 165 mL
6 oz. Water 165 mL
32 pieces Mussels 32 pieces
¼ tsp Saffron Threads - crushed 1 mL
16 pieces Shrimp – 26/30, peeled, deveined 16 pieces
2 lbs. Halibut Fillet – cut into pieces 900 gr.
To Taste Sea Salt & Black Pepper To Taste

METHOD

Blanch the squash and fingerling potatoes in salted water, refresh and reserve.

In a large saucepot, sauté the onion and fennel in the olive oil and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add clam juice, tomatoes with their juices, white wine, Sherry and water and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Add the mussels and saffron and simmer for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, halibut, squash and potatoes and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until all the seafood and vegetables are cooked and the mussels are completely opened. Discard any mussels that did not open. Season with black pepper.

To serve, ladle the stew in a pasta rim bowl and sprinkle with Fleur de Sel. Side with Crusty Bread rubbed with garlic and lightly toasted.