Marsh’s Dungeness Crab & Pacific Cod Bouillabaisse

Use the Dungeness crab shells - or another tasty, wild crustacean, like our spot shrimp - as the base of a home-made stock, and be sure to put the meat in as well. If you’re feeling adventurous, any white-fleshed species like rockfish, halibut, or lingcod will work well as a substitute for the Pacific cod. It’s warming and delicious.

• 2 Dungeness crab leg clusters 

• 1 pound Pacific cod, cut into 1 inch strips

• 5 ½ cups water

• 3 bay leaves

• 12 whole black peppercorns

• Peel from one orange

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ teaspoons kosher salt

• 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 tomatoes

• 1½ cups dry white wine

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme

• ½ teaspoon saffron threads (optional)

• ½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

• 1 ounce creme fraiche or sour cream (optional)

To make a stock, remove the meat from the Dungeness leg clusters & save all shells. Bring water to a simmer. Add shells, bay leaf, peppercorns, & orange peel. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.

While the stock simmers, quarter tomatoes, lightly coat in olive oil & a pinch of salt. Roast at 400° for 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add the onion, leek, and fennel bulbs, and sauté until soft and translucent. Save fennel fronds for garnish. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

Add tomatoes & wine. Bring to a boil, reducing by half. Strain crab stock through a fine mesh strainer. Add remaining liquid to wine & vegetable mixture.

Add 1 tbsp thyme, saffron, and smoked paprika, and simmer 10 minutes. Then, add the cod & crab meat. Cook 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, garnish with a dollop creme fraiche, remaining fresh thyme, and fresh fennel fronds. Serve hot.