Bouillabaisse Recipe

Prepare and Smoke Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub potatoes and pierce once with a fork. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Roast on a sheet tray for 25–30 minutes until tender. To impart a smoked flavor: during the last 10 minutes place a small heatproof dish with 1/4 cup wood chips (soaked and drained) in the oven and cover loosely with foil to create smoke, or briefly smoke the roasted potatoes on a stovetop smoker for 5–8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then halve or quarter potatoes and reserve.

Roast Carrots and Sauté Leeks

Peel and cut carrots into 2-inch batons. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper; roast alongside potatoes for 15–20 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Trim, halve lengthwise and rinse leeks thoroughly; slice into 1/4-inch rounds. In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté leeks 5–7 minutes until soft and sweet. Season with a pinch of salt. Keep vegetables warm.

Build the Fumet

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 6–8 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, white wine and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.

Add Stock and Aromatics

Add fish stock (or clam juice), saffron with its soaking liquid, bay leaf, thyme sprigs and fennel fronds (or pinch of fennel seed). Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. If you prefer a smoother broth, use an immersion blender to lightly purée for 10–15 seconds (keep some texture). Keep hot but not boiling.

Prepare Seafood

While the fumet simmers, pat arctic char fillets dry and cut into 1.5–2 inch chunks. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Rinse mussels and discard any that do not close when tapped. Pat shrimp dry and season with a pinch of salt.

Cook Seafood in Fumet

Bring the fumet to a gentle simmer. Add potatoes, carrots and leeks to the pot to warm through. Add mussels and cover the pot; steam until most mussels open, about 4–6 minutes. Remove opened mussels to a bowl, discard any that remain closed. Add shrimp and simmer 2 minutes until pink and just cooked. Gently add arctic char pieces and simmer 2–3 minutes until fish is opaque and cooked through. Taste broth and adjust salt/pepper. Return mussels to the pot briefly to rewarm. Keep hot, stir in half of the chopped parsley.

Toast Crostini

Preheat oven or broiler. Brush both sides of miche slices with olive oil. Arrange on a sheet tray and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 6–8 minutes, flipping once, until crisp and golden (or broil 1–2 minutes per side, watching carefully). Rub hot crostini with a halved garlic clove if desired for extra flavor.

Make Rouille

In a mortar and pestle or small food processor, crush/whirl garlic with a pinch of salt until paste-like. Add roasted red pepper, saffron (if using), smoked paprika and lemon juice. Whisk in egg yolk. Very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify into a thick, mayonnaise-like sauce. Season to taste with 1/2 tsp salt and more lemon if needed. If mixture is too thick, thin with a teaspoon or two of warm water or reserved fumet.

To serve, ladle hot tomato-saffron fumet into warmed shallow bowls. Arrange a portion of arctic char chunks, mussels, shrimp, smoked potato pieces, roasted carrots and sautéed leeks in each bowl, spooning broth over. Place 1–2 miche crostini on the side or float on top. Spoon a dollop (about 1 tsp) of rouille onto each crostini or directly into the broth for guests to add. Garnish with trout roe (about 1/2 tsp per bowl), a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a lemon wedge. Serve immediately.