Recipe By Chef Jim Coleman

Here's a dairy-free take on the New England classic. The seafood is a admittedly a weekend splurge, but you can substitute canned shrimp and canned clams for the scallops and shrimp. Just be sure to drain and rinse well to keep the sodium content in line.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped onion
• ½ cup coarsely chopped celery
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Whole wheat flour
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• ¾ cups diced fennel
• ¾ cup parsnips, raw, peeled and cubed
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 1-½ cups fat free chicken broth
• 3 cups Canned diced tomatoes and their juice
• ½ pound fresh or frozen (thawed) firm textured white fish such as cod, haddock fillets, or tilapia cut into ¾-inch cubes
• ¾ pound Peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• ¾ pound Bay scallops salt and pepper to taste
• a couple of dashes of hot sauce (optional)
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• couple pinches of saffron

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion, celery and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes.

2. Add wheat flour and cook over medium heat stirring constantly.

3. Add carrots, parsnips and fennel, thyme, paprika, dried dill weed, tomatoes, chicken broth, and clam juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

4. Simmer an additional 15 minutes.

5. Continue boiling until volume is reduced to 1 cup.

6.Add the cubed fish. Cook over moderate heat or a light simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and fish is done, approximately 8-10 minutes.

7. Adjust seasoning with saffron, salt and pepper and optional hot sauce. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley.