Oh, Snap! – Red Snapper and Scallop-based Bouillabaisse

Dear Soup Development Team,

Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille.

In theory, it’s a simple stew created by Marseille fisherman using fish that were too bony to serve in restaurants. In practice, it’s an expensive main course in most French Bistros, probably due to the level of complexity and cost in making it, especially in landlocked areas where fish is more expensive. Although the odds of you making this at home are slim, the next time you’re at a French restaurant, skip the Steak tartare and give this a shot instead.

Although purists will claim that a true Bouillabaisse can’t be made too far from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and I’m using a fish from the Gulf of Mexico, this is a pretty faithful version of the classic fish stew.

Oh, Snap! (makes four servings)

Prepping the Fish

After you debone the fish (or if the fishmonger is kind enough to do it for you, ask him to put the bones and head in a bag and to save for you), cover them in cold water for 30-45 minutes, changing the water at least twice. This is an important step before making the broth.

Fish Broth

1. After putting 1.5 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add the following and stir occasionally for 10 minutes:

-Garlic, 4 cloves chopped
-Fennel Bulb, 1/2 chopped (or 1/2 tsp of fennel seed)
-Onion, 1 coarsely chopped
-Marjoram, 2/3 tsp dried or 4 fresh sprigs
-Orange Zest, from 1/2 orange

2. Add the bones, cook for another 10 minutes, then add enough water to cover, approximately 4 cups

3. After 30 minutes, strain through a medium strainer and reserve the liquid (the fish broth)

Soup Base

4. Cook in olive oil on low heat, not letting them brown, for about 10 minutes:

-Leeks, 2 finely chopped

5. Add the following, and cook for 10 more minutes:

-Tomatoes, 5 peeled, seeded, and chopped
-Pernod/Ricard liquor, 1/8 cup
-The fish broth

Finishing

6. Lay out the fillets of Red Snapper and about 1/2 pound of scallops in a pan

7. Ladle enough of the soup base over the fish and scallops until they are covered

8. Add a pinch of saffron and 1/3 cup of garlic mayonnaise (aioli) into a bowl, and slowly add the poaching liquid that cooked the fish, until well blended. Return entire mixture back to the soup and mix well.

9. Put the fish into bowls. Ladle the soup mixture over top, and serve immediately.

Tags: Bouillabaisse, Fish, Fish Stew, Provençal, Soup