bouillabaisse

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The holiday season is upon us and there are many opportunities for serving up festive, traditional dishes to share with our family and friends. Whether you are cooking for a large group or enjoying an intimate meal for two, this classic French dish is the perfect choice for the true seafood lover in your life. Bouillabaisse is an elegant stew consisting of seafood, shellfish, and a medley of vegetables simmered in herbs and aromatic flavoring—white fish, lobster or langoustine, crabs, shrimp, mussels, clams, tomatoes, potatoes, leeks, celery, carrots, saffron, anise, shallots, parsley and wine.

bouillabaisse_final.jpgThere are two ways of serving Bouillabaisse; as a stew with the seafood, shellfish and vegetables served in a broth. Or, the more traditional French manner in which a mix of seafood, shellfish, and vegetables are served on a platter with the broth served on the side with grilled bread slathered with aioli, a garlic mayonnaise, or rouille, a spicy saffron mayonnaise made of olive oil, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper.

Bouillabaisse
Serves 6

Seafood Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of fresh clams
  • 1 lb of fresh mussels, rinsed and bearded
  • 2 lbs of cod, but into 1″ pieces  (can use a mix of cod, tilapia, snapper, grouper, John Dory- skinned)
  • 1/2 lb of clam strips (optional)
  • 12 raw jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined, keeping tails intact (shells reserved)

Broth Ingredients:

  • 1/3 teaspoon saffron
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 2 stalks of celery with leaves, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup chicken stock (or water)
  • 1 cup of dry white wine
  • 2 cups clam juice
  • 10 red or white baby potatoes, cut in half
  • 3 cups of water
  • Salt & White Pepper to taste
  • Garlic Aoili (store bought brand such as Saratoga’s Garlic Curry Aioli)
  • Garnish with Parsley leaves

Directions:
Step 1: The Broth

  1. Combine the saffron and hot water in a small bowl and set aside to infuse.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pan, over medium high heat, saute onion, carrot and celery until vegetables soften, about 15 minutes. After 10  minutes, add garlic.
  3. Add tomatoes, fennel seeds, saffron, thyme, tarragon, salt, pepper, and juice of one orange. Simmer 5 minutes.
  4. Add clam stock, wine, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. The longer this simmers  the richer the flavor.
  5. Note: You always want to have enough water in the pot to cover all ingredients, so start with 2 cups and add more as needed. I used 3 cups total.

Step 2:

  1. Turn heat up to medium and add potatoes and cook until 1/2 done, about 5 minutes
  2. Wash mussels, remove shells from shrimp and devein, and cut fish into 2-3″ pieces
  3. Add fish to pot and cook for 5 minutes, gently boiling, over medium heat (lower heat if too high/rapid boils)
  4. Add mussels, cover the pot and cook until mussel shells begin to open. (Discard unopened mussels.)
  5. Add shrimp, cook until they turn pink
  6. Taste broth and season to taste

Plate the Dish:

  1. Ladle soup among large serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley leaves. Add a dollop or two of aioli to the broth and stir in. Serve with crusty bread on the side. For a heartier treat you can add Gruyere cheese and make open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches to serve with the soup. Bon appetit!