This amazing seafood stew from the south of France is steeped in history. It started as a humble soup made from the leftovers of the fishermen's catch. As it made it way north to Paris, the ingredients and technique took on a more sophisticated flavor. There is no official recipe for boiuillabaisse, so feel free to use the favorite seafood to make thihis dish your own.
Bouillabaisse is customarily accompanied by rouille, a spread that emulsifies eggs and red bell peppers, giving it a distinctive reddish hue. The name 'rouille' is French for 'rust,' reflecting its color.
For the Broth
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced (reserve fennel fronds for garnish)
1 leek, white part only
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
6 shrimp, shell on, roughly chopped
1 red snapper fillet (or fish of your choice), roughly chopped
1-2 sprigs thyme
1 cup dry white wine
5 threads of saffron
For the Bouillabaisse Seafood
Zest from 1/2 of an orange
Zest from 1/2 of a lemon
2 red snapper fillets
10 shrimp
10 scallops
For the Rouille
1 egg
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp harissa
1 slice of stale bread soaked in fish or chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil (use more if you prefer a bit more rouille)
METHOD
For the Stock
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot and add the onion, carrot, celery, fennel, and garlic. Sweat until softened and translucent.
Add tomato paste and stir over low heat until well combined.
Add the diced tomato, chopped shrimp, chopped snapper, chopped scallops and sweat. If the ingredients seem dry, add more butter.
Add the thyme.
Deglaze with dry white wine and bring to a boil.
Add the saffron, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook at a simmer for 20 minutes.
Pour all the contents into a blender and puree until smooth. If necessary, work in batches according to the size of your blender.
Pass through a fine wire mesh strainer and press firmly. Discard solids and reserve broth.
On low heat in a pot, bring the seafood broth, orange zest, and lemon zest to a low simmer.
For the Seafood
Add your seafood (largest items first) and poach gently. Check to make sure that your seafood does not overcook.
Salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl, arrange your seafood and add the broth. Garnish with chopped parsley, fennel frond, and extra virgin olive oil.
For the Rouille
Add the egg, garlic, stale bread, harissa, and salt to a food processor or blender.
Once the mixture is fully blended, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. The mixture will begin to emulsify (or thicken). Once it does thicken, you can add the olive oil faster until you get about 1/2 cup of the mixture.
Serve the bouillabaisse in individual bowls with slices of toasted bread spread with rouille.
This scaled-down version should serve 2-3 people, depending on serving sizes.
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