Bouillabaisse - European Recipe

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Bouillabaisse

🌍 European, Marseille, Provence, France Difficulty: ●●●○○


Marseille fishermen made bouillabaisse from unsellable rockfish; saffron and fennel are signatures of Provençal trade routes.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg mixed firm fish (monkfish, sea bass, red snapper), cut into chunks
  • 500 g shellfish (mussels, clams, shrimp)
  • 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 fennel bulb, sliced
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • 1 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 strip orange zest
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 1 litre fish stock
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
  • Crusty bread and rouille (garlic-saffron mayo) to serve

Method

  1. Heating — Heat olive oil in a large pot; sweat onion, leeks, and fennel until soft, about 8 minutes.
  2. Adding — Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
  3. Stirring — Stir in tomatoes, saffron water, orange zest, thyme, and bay leaf.
  4. Pouring — Pour in white wine; boil 2 minutes.
  5. Adding — Add fish stock; bring to a rolling boil and cook 15 minutes to meld flavors.
  6. Adding — Add firmest fish first; cook 5 minutes.
  7. Adding — Add delicate fish and shellfish; cook until mussels open and shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes.
  8. Seasoning — Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
  9. Ladling — Ladle broth over toasted bread rounds spread with rouille; serve fish separately on platter.