Here’s a complete guide to making Bouillabaisse, the famous French seafood soup from Marseille — from its origins to step-by-step cooking.
Bouillabaisse – Overview
1. Introduction
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Origin: Marseille, Provence, France.
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Type: Rustic fisherman’s stew turned gourmet dish.
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Meaning: From the Provençal words bolhir (to boil) and abaissar (to reduce/ simmer).
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Traditionally made with Mediterranean fish, shellfish, and aromatic herbs.
2. Key Features
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Rich, flavorful seafood broth.
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Combination of multiple fish & shellfish for depth.
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Perfumed with saffron, fennel, and orange zest.
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Served with rouille (garlic-saffron mayonnaise) and crusty bread.
3. Traditional Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the Soup Base:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 4 tbsp |
| Onion, chopped | 1 large |
| Leek (white part), sliced | 1 |
| Fennel bulb, chopped | 1 |
| Garlic cloves, minced | 4 |
| Tomatoes, chopped | 3 medium |
| Orange zest | from 1 orange |
| Saffron threads | ½ tsp |
| Thyme | 1 tsp |
| Bay leaves | 2 |
| Parsley stems | a small bunch |
| Dry white wine | 1 cup |
| Fish stock / water | 6 cups |
| Salt & pepper | to taste |
Seafood Selection (varies by availability):
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Firm white fish (e.g., snapper, sea bass, monkfish) – ~600 g
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Mussels – 250 g
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Clams – 250 g
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Shrimp or prawns – 200 g
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Small crab or lobster (optional) – 1
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Squid or cuttlefish – 150 g
(Traditionally, Mediterranean fish like rascasse, conger eel, and gurnard are used, but outside France, local substitutes are fine.)
4. For Rouille (Garnish Sauce):
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Garlic cloves | 2 |
| Red chili (small, deseeded) | 1 |
| Egg yolk | 1 |
| Bread crumbs (soft, soaked) | ½ cup |
| Olive oil | ½ cup |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp |
| Saffron water | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | to taste |
5. Step-by-Step Preparation
Step 1 – Make the Base
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Heat olive oil in a large pot.
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Add onion, leek, fennel — sauté until soft (5–6 min).
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Add garlic & tomatoes — cook until tomatoes break down.
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Stir in orange zest, saffron, thyme, bay leaves, parsley stems.
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Deglaze with white wine — simmer 2 min.
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Add fish stock/water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 15 min.
Step 2 – Add Seafood
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Add firm fish pieces — simmer 5 min.
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Add shellfish (mussels, clams, shrimp) — cook until shells open & shrimp turns pink (4–5 min).
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Add squid — cook just 2 min (to avoid toughness).
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Remove any unopened shellfish.
Step 3 – Season
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Adjust salt and pepper.
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Remove parsley stems & bay leaves.
6. Make the Rouille
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Crush garlic & chili to paste.
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Blend with soaked bread, egg yolk, saffron water.
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Slowly drizzle in olive oil while blending to emulsify.
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Add lemon juice & salt.
7. Serving
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Ladle soup into deep bowls with a mix of seafood.
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Serve with toasted baguette slices spread with rouille.
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Traditionally eaten by dipping the bread into the broth.
8. Tips
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Use very fresh seafood — flavors depend heavily on quality.
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Do not overcook fish/shellfish — add in stages.
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For authenticity, keep broth rustic (not overly strained).
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Rouille can be made a few hours ahead for convenience.
If you like, I can also give you a 30-minute simplified Bouillabaisse recipe for home cooking that still keeps the Marseille flavor but with fewer ingredients and steps. That’s perfect for a weeknight version. Would you like me to prepare that?
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