Food Network is located at Chelsea Market, in Manhattan. The Lobster Place is a great seafood shop within this huge market. I made up this meal one night during a run of taping for 30-Minute Meals. I stopped into the market and took home pure white scrod, some tiny Manila clams, and a little pack of saffron powder as my inspiration. It was so delish that John and I ate it three nights in ten, sharing it with family and friends two of those evenings as the simplest, tastiest way we could think to entertain a crowd. Whether you’re feeding one or some, make a whole pot of this stoup (thicker than soup, thinner than stew), as the leftovers get even better!

Ingredients

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (3 times around the pan)

　　1/2 pound chorizo, diced (available near kielbasa in the packaged meat section of the market)

　　1 large starchy potato, such as Idaho, peeled and chopped

　　4 large garlic cloves, chopped

　　3 celery ribs and the leafy greens, chopped

　　2 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut into

　　1/2-inch slices, then separated and washed to release dirt, and drained

　　Coarse salt and coarse black pepper

　　1/2 cup dry white wine or 1/3 cup white vermouth (eyeball it)

　　1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

　　2 cups seafood stock (available on the soup aisle or at the seafood counter), or 1 cup each chicken stock and clam juice

　　1 envelope saffron powder, about 1 1/2 grams, or a pinch of saffron threads

　　3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (from 5 to 6 sprigs), chopped

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (a couple of palmfuls)

　　2 1/2 to 3 pounds cod or scrod, cut into large bite-size chunks (buy thick pieces, cut from the center rather than the tail)

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　1 to 1 1/4 pounds small Manila clams

　　Crusty bread, for dipping

　　Heat a large, deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and chorizo, cook for a minute or two to darken and render the sausage a bit, then add the potatoes and garlic and coat in fat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and leeks and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and stock, saffron, thyme, and half of the parsley. Put the lid on the pan and bring the stoup to a boil. Season the fish chunks with lemon juice and salt. Arrange the fish in a single layer on top of the stoup and replace the lid. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the fish is opaque at all edges but still a bit undercooked in the middle and not yet firm. Add the clams in a single layer, replace the lid, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the clams all open. Discard any clams that refuse to open. Uncover the pan, dip into the stoup, and carefully spoon the sauce over the cooked seafood. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Ladle stoup into shallow bowls, garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve with lots of crusty bread.

　　Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats