Classic Bouillabaisse with Rouille-Topped Croutons

Ingredients

• Rouille:
• 2/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• Croutons:
• 4 ounces sourdough bread baguette, cut diagonally into 6 slices
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• Bouillabaisse:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup chopped plum tomato (about 2)
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, lightly crushed
• 3 1/2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed red potato (about 1 pound)
• 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 8 ounces)
• 3 cups clam juice
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 24 littleneck clams
• 24 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 (1-pound) red snapper fillet, cut into 12 (2-inch) pieces
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. To prepare rouille, combine roasted red bell peppers and mayonnaise in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Set aside.
3. 3. To prepare the croutons, arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; bake slices at 400° for 8 minutes or until toasted. Rub one side of each crouton with cut side of garlic clove halves; discard garlic clove halves. Set croutons aside.
4. 4. To prepare bouillabaisse, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender. Add tomato; cook 3 minutes. Add saffron; cook 30 seconds. Add potato, fennel, clam juice, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until potato is almost done. Increase heat to medium. Add clams; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add mussels; cover and simmer 3 minutes. Add shrimp and fish; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until shells open, shrimp is done, and fish flakes easily with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Discard any unopened shells.
5. 5. Ladle 2 cups seafood mixture into each of 6 shallow bowls. Spread each crouton with about 1 tablespoon rouille. Place 1 crouton on top of each bowl; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon parsley.