Bouillabaisse Toulonnaise

Main Serves 4 people France

Originally cooked by fishermen using unwanted fish from their catch, this traditional Provençal fish stew is served with a creamy, saffron-scented rouille (sauce).

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil
4 ½ oz (125g) fennel, sliced
2 red onions, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp tarragon, chopped
½ tsp black pepper
Fish heads, bones and offcuts
2.2 lb (1kg) tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 pinch saffron threads
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp butter

FOR THE ROUILLE:
3 egg yolks
Salt and pepper
½ lemon, juiced
Pinch saffron
Pinch cayenne pepper
6 ¾ fl oz (200ml) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed

7 oz (200g) salmon
7 oz (200g) pollock
7 oz (200g) monkfish
1 lb (450g) mussels, scrubbed, beards removed



Step 1

To make the broth, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel and cook for 3 to 4 minutes without it coloring, then add the red onion, sea salt, tarragon and black pepper.

Step 2

Add the fish bones and offcuts and the tomatoes, then cover with water. Bring to a simmer, skimming off any residue that rises to the surface. Add the tomato purée and saffron and bring back to a simmer. Cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until it has reduced by about a third.

Step 3

Sieve the broth, pressing down the contents of the sieve with a ladle to extract as much liquid as possible, then add the lemon juice and whisk in the butter. Check the seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until needed.

Step 4

To make the rouille, whisk the egg yolks with the seasoning, lemon juice, saffron and cayenne pepper. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously, then stir in the garlic. Add a little warm water if it’s too thick. Set aside until needed.

Step 5

Bring the reserved broth up to a simmer, then add all the fish. Poach until just tender, adding the firmest fillets first, then remove and place on a serving platter. Ladle over the broth. Serve with the rouille on the side and some garlic croutons.