Bouillabaisse 1/15

So the other day I was inspired by the Wegmans Magazine to do something with mussels.  I saw the Bouillabaisse Sauce that was on sale, and  their mussels looked fresh, so I figured I could make a stew of sorts.  Let me extol Wegmans here... when I asked for a pound of mussels, the guy behind the counter handpicked each and every one making sure it closed properly (ie was alive), and gave me the tip to leave the plastic bag open so that they would breathe.  I don't think I have ever had anyone so careful with mussels before!

I got home and figured I would just kind of make a stew based on the Bouillabaisse recipe I found online. I pulled some salmon out of the freezer, and had bought some fresh calamari and mussels and had some frozen shrimp.

My Bouillabaisse
1 filet of salmon (cubed) white fish
1/2lb calamari pieces (cut heads into rings)
1lb of mussles
20 shrimp
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
4-5 medium carrots
2 potatoes
5-6 stalks of celery
2 bay leaves
4 cups of vegetable stock (or fish stock)
1 can of chopped tomatoes (28oz)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Bag of Wegmans Bouillabaisse 
1 can of Tomato Juice (ie V8)

Heat olive oil in a stock pot.  Saute the Vegetables and potatoes for 5 minutes.  Add the vegetable stock, can of tomatoes, bay leaves, lemon juice and can of Tomato Juice. Cover and cook for ~20 minutes on medium until vegetables are somewhat tender. Add the bag of Bouillabaisse and the salmon cubes.  Cook for about 5 minutes until Salmon pieces become light colored on the outside.  Add in the shrimp and calamari and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the mussels to the top of the pot (do not stir) and cover.  Cook until all of the mussels have just opened up.  It should be under 5 minutes on medium heat.  Stir up the pot and serve immediately :)

The soup came out excellent, but the salmon flavor tended to overpower the dish.  I think the next time I would use a white fish in its place so that all of the flavors balance well.