Many of the seafood stews of the world— bouillabaisse, cioppino, and caldeirada de peixe (from Portugal), among others— share a common ingredient: fennel, which lends an anise- like taste. Essentially a creamy stew, the shellfish pan roast is most famously made with oysters, but clams are also traditional and often appear in combination with sausage; we include two types, sweet Italian and kielbasa. Pernod and tarragon add more anise flavor.

1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 pound kielbasa, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
12 small red potatoes, halved
3 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 1/4 -inch slices
1 small leek, cut into 1/4 -inch rounds and rinsed well
1/4 C. Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur
1 1/2 C. bottled unsalted clam juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
2 large tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1/4 C. fresh tarragon leaves

Cook garlic and Italian sausage in a deep straight- sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until sausage is no longer pink, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Drain all but 1 T. fat from skillet. Cook kielbasa, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Add to bowl. Arrange potatoes in skillet, cut-side down; cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip potatoes; cook until just
tender, about 5 minutes more. Scatter fennel over potatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until
fennel is tender, about 10 minutes. Add leek, Pernod, and clam juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leek is tender, about 5 minutes. Return sausage mixture to pan; stir to combine. Add clams, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook,
covered, until clams open, about 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams and remove pan from heat. Stir in tarragon and serve.