French: Bouillabaisse

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of baguette, sliced and toasted
• 1 cup olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 lb raw jumbo shrimp in shell
• 1 large salmon head
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 12 cloves garlic, minced (1 bulb)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
• 1 bottle clam juice (8 oz)
• 1 tablespoon shrimp bouillon
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 18 baby potatoes
• 1 lb mussels or clams in the shell (fresh or frozen)
• ¾ lb frozen squid rings
• 1 lb crab claws (frozen)
• 2 lbs flaky white fish, cut into large chunks (cod, catfish, tilapia, etc)
• Fresh dill (for garnish)

Sauce Rouille ingredients:

• 1 roasted and peeled red bell pepper (jarred peppers are fine)
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 peeled garlic cloves
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Procedure:

1. Soak a few strands of saffron in warm water; set aside
2. Slice baguette, brush with olive oil and broil until toasted; set aside
3. Peel and devein the shrimp, set shrimp aside; add shrimp shells to a large pot
4. Split salmon head in half, add to pot
5. Add enough water to cover salmon head, hard boil for 20 minutes
6. While the seafood stock is cooking, make the Sauce Rouille: add all sauce ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth; slowly add ½ cup of olive oil while processing to form a paste; set aside
7. Strain cooked seafood stock and set aside; discard head and shells
8. Make the soup: In a large pot, saute the leeks and fennel in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until wilted (approx 5 minutes)
9. Add the garlic and saute briefly (approx 1 minute)
10. Add the tomatoes, clam juice, seafood stock, saffron water, plus more water to make about 4 cups of broth
11. Season with shrimp bouillon, salt, and pepper (to taste)
12. Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf; bring pot to boil, simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft
13. Add the seafood in the following order: mussels or clams, squid rings, crab claws, fish, shrimp (bring soup to a boil after adding each item)
14. When all the seafood is cooked, strain broth into a large serving bowl; then carefully transfer seafood to a large platter (discard unopened shells)
15. To serve, place a slice of toasted baguette in each bowl and put a dollop of the rouille sauce on top of the bread
16. Ladle broth into each bowl, then carefully arrange seafood on top
17. Garnish with a spring of dill