Ingredients
- Bouillabaisse
- You can make the fish stock several days before, and cut the vegetables for the bouillabaisse the day before. Serve with rouille (roasted red pepper aioli) on the side on croutons and lots of French bread.
- Serves 20
- Fish Stock
- 1/4 cup butter or olive oil
- 3 onions, chopped
- 1 bulb of garlic, chopped
- fennel fronds, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 3 teaspoons salt (don’t over salt at this stage)
- 2 large (6 inches long or more) or 4 small (4 inches long or less) fish heads from cod or haddock, split lengthwise, gills removed, and rinsed clean of any blood
- 3 pounds fish frames (bones) from sole, flounder, bass, and/or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces and rinsed clean of any blood
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 quarts very hot or boiling water
- 5 quarts of reserved fish stock (do not use mackerel, salmon, swordfish, or other oily fish)
- Bouillabaisse:
- 6 onions, chopped
- 2 whole fennel bulbs (stalks removed and used in the fish stock), chopped
- 2 whole bulbs of garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme taken off the stem
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- large zest peels of one orange
- salt and pepper to taste (I have used up to 1/2 cup of salt before)
- 4 teaspoons saffron threads
- 1 cup Pernod or other anise flavored liquor
- 1/2 bottle of white wine
- 3 lbs. fresh Italian plum tomatoes, roughly de-seeded, chopped
- 10 lbs. assorted, cleaned and de-skinned fish – red snapper, salmon, grouper, halibut, squid, prawns, crab, mussels, clams, or anything you like. Cut the fish into 1-inch cubes.
Instructions
Make the fish stock
In a heavy 7- to 8-quart stockpot over medium high heat add butter. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables become lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
2. Place the fish on top of the vegetables. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly, and let the bones sweat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they have turned completely white.
3. Add 5 quarts very hot or boiling water. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow to come to a simmer. Do not allow to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface, trying not to take any herbs, spices, or vegetables with it.
4. Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again, and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with more salt if needed. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
To make the Bouillabaisse
In a very large stock pot, sauté onions in olive oil until lightly browned. Add fennel and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add thyme, parsley, tomatoes, zest, salt and pepper, and saffron threads and cook for 2 minutes. Add Pernod and wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. You can make this mixture the day before and refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the fish stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes after it has come to a boil and taste for seasoning.
Add the fish and shellfish and reduce heat to medium low and do not allow to boil. Add a lid or foil and cook for 10 minutes or until the shellfish open and the fish is cooked through. Serve.
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