Bouillabaisse and How to Make Fish Stock

Описание: Bouillabaisse (Provencal Fish Soup)
and How to Make Fish Stock

Mediterranean sea bass (a.k.a. branzino) and Sea Bream (a.k.a. orata, dorade, dorado) are my favorite fish to use for this soup. They are small, delicate, and flavorful, and their frames fit easily into a stock pot for the broth. Ask your fish monger to scale the fish, remove the gills, remove the guts, fillet and skin the fish; then pack fillets in one bag and fish skin, frames, and heads (no gills or guts) in another bag (you’ll need them for the stock).

Serves 4 as the main course

Rouille (make at least 3 hours before serving):
pinch of saffron
1 tsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane zester
1/2 cup mayo
pinch of cayenne

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together, taste and adjust for salt. Refrigerate until serving.

Stock:
heads, bones, and skin from 2 whole branzini
green tops from 1 large leek
tops from 2 large fennel bulbs
1 celery rib
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
7 cups water

Put all the stock ingredients into a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes while preparing the vegetables for the soup.

Soup:
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
White and pale green parts of 1 large leek, diced
2 large fennel bulbs, diced
1 red, yellow, or orange pepper, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of saffron
2 star anise
14.5 can dice tomatoes
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Sliced baguette (or some other good bread)
olive oil for brushing the bread
1 whole garlic clove for rubbing the toast
boneless fillets from 2 whole branzini, salted at least 30 min before cooking

Set a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, leeks, fennel, and peppers. Season generously with salt and cook stirring occasionally until tender and brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the saffron, star anise, tomatoes, and wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the fish stock through a fine mesh sieve into the pot with veggies. Season to taste with salt. Add the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook gently for 5 min. Take off heat. The soup can be made up to this stage a day ahead.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the bread with olive oil and toast until crisp, 12-15 min. While the bread is toasting, place the fish fillets into the turned off pot (the soup temp should be about 180F when the fish goes in -- very hot, but not boiling). The fish should flake in 8-10 min. If it doesn’t, turn on the heat on very low until the fish flakes. Break up the fish. Rub the toast all over with garlic. Serve the soup topped with garlic toasts slathered with rouille.

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