Bouillabaisse is a very popular provençal fish stew from the port city of Marseille. I really wanted to make one in the US, but being so far away from the Mediterranean, I could not find the Mediterranean fish traditionally used in Bouillabaisse, so I had to be creative. I came up with my own recipe, made with the fish and seafood I could find locally, while still keeping the provençal flavors. I simplified the traditional recipe so as to have an easy recipe that anyone could make. The result is an easy and delicious fish stew that smells so good, it will make you feel like you are in Provence!
A few notes about my recipe choices
Traditionally, the Bouillabaisse contains three different kinds of fish. Usually, the Mediterranean rascasse, the sea robin, and the European conger. Possible US substitutes are monkfish, red snapper, and halibut. Other possible choices in the US are turbot, striped bass, porgy, grouper and/or cod. I recommend you get the freshest local fish you can find, and get three different kinds.
Usually, tomatoes, carrots, leeks, potatoes, and fennel accompany the fish. Personally, I like tomatoes the best so I decided to make my soup with tomatoes only. But feel free to add the other vegetables if you’d like.
Saffron is an essential flavor that absolutely needs to be part of the soup. I was able to find red saffron in filaments at my local international grocery store. Otherwise, you can find it online.
An other important part of the soup is to bring it to a boil (bouillir in French), and then quickly lower the heat (baisse in French), hence the name bouilla-baisse. So I tried to incorporate that technique in my recipe.
I cooked my bouillabaisse in a dutch oven (cocotte). However, you do not necessarily need one, as long as you have a big enough pot with a lid.
Recipe
- 2 tomatoes
- 9 tablepoons olive oil
- 1 gram red saffron
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced onion
- 12 tablespoons white wine (any white wine)
- 24 tablespoons water
- 3 different kinds of fishes
- 5–6 clams
- 5–6 big pink shrimps
- 5–6 mussels
- 4 branches fresh rosemary
- 5–6 branches fresh thyme
- 4 leaves fresh bay leaf
- salt (as needed)
- pepper (as needed)
- Cut the fish in little pieces. Marinate the fish by placing it in a ziploc bag along with 0.5g of saffron and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside in the fridge.
- Cut the tomatoes in little pieces. Mince the garlic and onion, if not already minced. In a dutch oven (cocotte), pour 7 tablespoons of olive oil, and add the tomato pieces, the minced onion, the minced garlic, and the remainder of the saffron (0.5g). Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and let the tomatoes “melt” (see picture.)
- Add the white wine, the water, the rosemary, the thyme and the bay leaves. Cover, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
- Filter the soup through a strainer so as to remove the branches of herbs/hard parts of the tomatoes from the broth. Pour the filtered broth back into the dutch oven (cocotte). Take the fish out of the ziploc bag and place it in the soup. Add the seafood (make sure you rinse it first). Cover, and cook the soup on high heat for 10–15 minutes (until the fish is fully cooked). Then, quickly take it off from the heat (this is to accomplish the bouilla-baisse effect). Let it cool down a tiny bit. Serve warm.
In Marseille, Bouillabaisse is typically served with slices of bread and rouille.
Bon Appétit!
French Mom
An extremely clever adjustment to fishs and ingredients available on the American market of a very famous and typical southern France recipe .
Thanks for your comment!