Photo: Bouillabaisse Recipe
Ingredients
- There are 2 parts to Bouillabaisse, the rock- fish soup made from small fish and the larger fish that are poached in the soup.
Rock Fish Soup:
- 4 pounds fish, depending on availability (girolles, scorpion fish, baby crabs)
- Large pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 quarts water
Soup:
- Olive oil
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 1(28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes
- 6 medium potatoes, sliced
- 1 John Dory fish, cleaned and cut into big pieces
- 1 monkfish, cleaned and cut into big pieces
- 1 rascasse fish, cleaned
- 1 scorpion fish, cleaned
- 1 red Mullet, cleaned
- Pinch saffron
- 1 lobster split in half
- Croutons, recipe follows
- Rouille, recipe follows
- *Cook's Note: If you cannot find the above fish ask your fishmonger for something similar.
Directions
For the Rockfish Soup:
Prepare the fish by cutting off the gills and external hairy bits and discarding. Keep the fish in salt water.
Put the small rock fish (girolles, baby crabs, stone fish) into a large saucepan of cold water on high heat. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring slowly to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
For the Soup:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook the chopped onions until translucent. Pour in the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then add the sliced potatoes. Place the pieces of John Dory and the monkfish on top.
Strain the rock fish soup through a strainer on top of the fish and boil for 5 minutes.
Place the rascasse, scorpion fish, and red mullet on top. Add a pinch of saffron and watch soup turn a rich yellow color. Finally add the lobster halves and cook for a maximum of 5 minutes.
Serve the big fish on a serving plate and the soup in a casserole. Serve the pieces of fish on the plate with potato slices and the Croutons with Rouille and pour the soup over the top. Eat immediately.
Croutons:
18 (1/2-inch thick) baguette slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
To make the croutons lightly brush the baguette slices with olive oil and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes
Rouille:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Finely chop the garlic and pulverize in a pestle and mortar. Gradually add olive oil and paprika until it becomes thick and creamy like mayonnaise.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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