Bouillabaisse Recipe

Prepare seafood and vegetables

Rinse mussels and clams under cold water, discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Peel and devein shrimp if not done. Cut all fish into roughly 2-inch pieces and pat dry. Halve or quarter potatoes so pieces are uniform. Chop onion, leek, fennel, garlic, and parsley. If using fresh tomatoes, blanch, peel, seed and chop them.

Sweat aromatics

Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sliced leek, and sliced fennel. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Deglaze and build flavors

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes (or crushed canned tomatoes) and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Simmer the stock

Add the fish stock, orange zest, bay leaves, saffron threads, thyme sprigs, salt and black pepper. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer. Add the potatoes now so they can cook in the broth. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until potatoes are nearly tender (check with a fork). Taste the broth and adjust seasoning.

Cook the firmer fish

Add the firm white fish and oily fish pieces to the simmering broth. Simmer gently (do not boil vigorously) for 4–6 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque and nearly cooked through.

Add shellfish

Add the shrimp, clams and mussels to the pot. Cover and cook for 4–6 minutes, until shrimp are pink and opaque and the mussels and clams have opened. Discard any shellfish that remain closed. Stir in chopped fresh tomatoes (if using) and roughly half of the chopped parsley.

Rest and adjust

Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste the broth and adjust salt, pepper or a squeeze of lemon if desired. If the broth seems thin and you'd like a richer mouthfeel, stir in 1 tablespoon more tomato paste or a knob of butter off heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, crushed saffron, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Thin with a teaspoon of olive oil if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ladle the bouillabaisse into warmed shallow bowls, making sure each portion gets a mix of broth, fish and shellfish and some potatoes. Place toasted baguette slices on the side or float a slice topped with rouille on each bowl. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley and garnish with orange or lemon slices if using.