From Our Kitchen to Yours: Seafood Bouillabaisse

Our newest set, a kitchen and laundry room we call “Pacific Coast Contemporary” calls to mind sweeping views of the pacific ocean. This inspired me to make bouillabaisse, which is a highly-seasoned fish stew made with at least two kinds of fish.  

The components of this dish are: seafood broth and poached seafood—shrimp, rockfish, monkfish, scallops, and mussels — served with rouille and baguette. To make this bouillabaisse, you can use any combination of seafood in the stew that you like, but I suggest using shrimp for the quality that the shells add to the stock. 

Seafood Broth

Ingredients 

• 1 Tbsp olive oil   
• 1 onion, sliced  
• 1 can San Marzano tomatoes, strained and crushed   
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste   
•  4 cloves garlic   
•  1 celery stalk, chopped  
•  1 leek, chopped  
•  1 fennel bulb, sliced (fronds saved for garnish)   
•  1 sprig fresh thyme   
•  1 bay leaf   
•  Zest of 1 Orange  
•  Pinch of saffron  
•  1 lb shrimp, deveined, chopped with shells  
•  Bones, skin, or heads of other fish used for poached seafood  
•  2 oz Pernod and/or dry white wine  
•  1/2 gallon of water  
•  Fresh parsley 

Directions 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven until simmering. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, celery, leek, fennel bulb, orange zest, saffron, thyme, and bay leaf. 
3. Drizzle with kosher salt and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. 
4. Mix in the tomato paste and brown, then add the crushed canned tomatoes. 
5. Add chopped raw shrimp and any other fish bones or heads, stirring occasionally. 
6. As the vegetables begin to brown, add the Pernod/white wine to deglaze the pan. 
7. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients and bring to a rapid boil. 
8. Boil hard for 5 minutes, allowing the olive oil to emulsify in the broth. 
9. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover, cooking for 45 minutes.   
10. After 45 minutes, remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
11. Remove the bay leaf and add all the hot ingredients to a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary. 
12. Once pureed, pass broth through a mesh sieve or chinois back into the Dutch oven. 
13. Adjust the texture of your soup base by using more water and adding salt to taste. 

Poached Seafood 

Ingredients 

•  1 lb mussels  
•  Kosher salt and pepper  
•  1 lb. prawns, sliced in half lengthwise  
•  1 lb rockfish, deboned and cut into 2-inch pieces (save bones)  
•  1 lb monkfish, deboned and cut into pieces  
•  ½ lb scallops 

Directions 

1. Poach the fish in the simmering pot of broth until cooked thoroughly, then remove using a slotted spoon. 
2. After the scallops, prawns, and fish have been cooked, add the mussels to the broth. 
3. Cover and cook until all mussels have opened. 
4. Remove meat from the shells or not, depending on your desired presentation. 

Rouille & Toast 

For a simple rouille, add a dash of saffron, minced garlic, a dash of cayenne pepper and a teaspoon of breadcrumbs to your favorite mayonnaise.  However, if you want to make your own from scratch you can follow these directions. 

Ingredients 

• 1 garlic clove, crushed  
• 1 egg yolk  
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice  
• 1 small pinch of saffron  
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil  
• Kosher salt  
• 1 pinch of cayenne  
• 2 Tbsp breadcrumbs 

Directions 

To prepare the rouille: 

1. In the bowl of the food processor, combine the garlic, red pepper, egg yolk, lemon juice, and saffron. 
2. Pulse until smooth, then slowly drizzle in the oil and process continuously until the mixture thickens. 
3. Season to taste with salt. 

To prepare the toast: 

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Slice the baguette into ½ inch slices, arranging on a baking sheet. 
3. Brush with olive oil and toast until golden brown. 

Bouillabaisse Assembly 

1. Preheat soup bowls using hot water or a warm oven. 
2. Bring broth to a near boil. 
3. Layer cuts of seafood in each bowl, starting with scallops. 
4. Ladle hot broth over the fish and serve.