| 1/2 | c | Olive oil |
| 2 | lg | Onions, diced (about 1 1/2 cups) |
| 2 | | Leeks, white and light green parts only, split, well washed and diced (about 2 1/2 cups) |
| 2 | | Stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup) |
| 1/4 | c | Finely chopped garlic |
| 1 | c | Canned plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, and diced |
| 1 | ts | Saffron threads |
| 2 | | Bay leaves |
| 1 | tb | Dried thyme |
| 1 1/2 | ts | Salt |
| 1 | ts | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 1/2 | c | Dry white wine |
| 2 | qt | Fish stock |
| 2 | | Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 pound) |
| 1 | sm | Lobster, raw and in the shell, cut into pieces |
| 1 | lb | Assorted fish fillets such as snapper, halibut, tilefish, cod, skinned and boned, cut into chunks |
| 1/2 | lb | Fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| | PEPPERY CROUTONS |
| | French baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 3 to 4 slices per person) |
| 1/4 | c | Olive oil |
| 1 | ts | Cracked black peppercorns, (1 to 2) |
