Bouillabaisse
Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Randy Mon
Few experiences are more magical than sitting seaside at twilight, sipping white wine and savoring the famous fish soup called bouillabaisse.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Heat oil in a large, wide pot over medium-high heat. Sauté leek and onion until translucent, 2 minutes. Add garlic, then fennel slices from under fish on platter. Sauté 2 minutes, then add tomatoes, stock, wine, bay leaf, thyme, pepper, and salt.
Step 2
2
Remove fish from platter; set aside. Lift off fennel stalks and fronds and discard. Scrape marinade into broth. Bring to a boil, covered; then simmer, covered, until fennel slices are meltingly soft, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 1 qt. water to a boil.
Step 3
3
Bring broth to a rolling boil. Lay in the halibut and add enough boiling water to just cover fish. Cook until just opaque, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a platter and cover.
Step 4
4
Add thinner fish fillets and spot prawns and cook just until opaque, 2 minutes; transfer to platter as done. Add crab and mussels and cook just until mussels open, 5 minutes. Transfer both to platter. Add squid and cook just until opaque, about 1 minute; transfer to platter. Bathe platter with a ladle of broth. Remove bay leaf and thyme.
Step 5
5
Ladle about 1 cup broth each into big soup bowls (keep broth hot for a second serving, covered). Bring bowls, platter, rouille, and toasts to the table. Put a little of each seafood in every bowl and top with a dollop of rouille. Serves 8 to
Step 6
6
Make ahead: Add fish to remaining broth and keep, chilled, up to 5 days.
Step 7
7
Buying Guide
Step 8
8
When choosing your seafood, try to vary the textures and flavors. Some should be firm, others soft; some mild, others briny. Find them at a good seafood shop or your farmers' market.
Step 9
9
Alaskan snow crab legs: Very firm, lobsterlike texture; sweet and mild. Usually only available cooked.
Step 10
10
California mussels: Briny flavor; soft, melting texture with a bit of chew.
Step 11
11
California squid (calamari): Firm but tender; sweet yet meaty. It's neither fish nor shellfish, really, but it gives great texture and flavor to the soup.
Step 12
12
Dungeness crab: Flaky; sweet and moist.
Step 13
13
Pacific cod (true cod, gray cod): Delicate; mild flavor.
Step 14
14
Pacific halibut: Firm, with mild flavor.
Step 15
15
Petrale sole: Delicate texture; mild, sweet flavor.
Step 16
16
Rockfish (black bass, sea bass, black snapper): Medium-firm; clean sea flavor.
Step 17
17
Sablefish (black cod): Silky, medium-firm; rich, buttery flavor.
Step 18
18
Spiny lobsters: Succulent and firm. Can use, cooked, instead of crab. Available from fall to spring.
Step 19
19
Spot prawns: Incredibly sweet taste and tender-crisp; keep head and tail on for the most flavor. Can be hard to find.
Step 20
20
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, white parts only, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 large, ripe red tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 6 good-quality canned Roma tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 pound spot prawns or other West Coast shrimp, heads and tails intact, live if possible
3 cooked Alaskan snow crab legs, thawed if frozen and cut into 2-in. pieces; or 1/2 lb. cooked Dungeness crab, cracked
1 pound California mussels
1 pound California squid (calamari), tubes and tentacles separated, tubes cut into 1/2-in. rings
Directions
Step 1
1
Heat oil in a large, wide pot over medium-high heat. Sauté leek and onion until translucent, 2 minutes. Add garlic, then fennel slices from under fish on platter. Sauté 2 minutes, then add tomatoes, stock, wine, bay leaf, thyme, pepper, and salt.
Step 2
2
Remove fish from platter; set aside. Lift off fennel stalks and fronds and discard. Scrape marinade into broth. Bring to a boil, covered; then simmer, covered, until fennel slices are meltingly soft, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 1 qt. water to a boil.
Step 3
3
Bring broth to a rolling boil. Lay in the halibut and add enough boiling water to just cover fish. Cook until just opaque, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a platter and cover.
Step 4
4
Add thinner fish fillets and spot prawns and cook just until opaque, 2 minutes; transfer to platter as done. Add crab and mussels and cook just until mussels open, 5 minutes. Transfer both to platter. Add squid and cook just until opaque, about 1 minute; transfer to platter. Bathe platter with a ladle of broth. Remove bay leaf and thyme.
Step 5
5
Ladle about 1 cup broth each into big soup bowls (keep broth hot for a second serving, covered). Bring bowls, platter, rouille, and toasts to the table. Put a little of each seafood in every bowl and top with a dollop of rouille. Serves 8 to
Step 6
6
Make ahead: Add fish to remaining broth and keep, chilled, up to 5 days.
Step 7
7
Buying Guide
Step 8
8
When choosing your seafood, try to vary the textures and flavors. Some should be firm, others soft; some mild, others briny. Find them at a good seafood shop or your farmers' market.
Step 9
9
Alaskan snow crab legs: Very firm, lobsterlike texture; sweet and mild. Usually only available cooked.
Step 10
10
California mussels: Briny flavor; soft, melting texture with a bit of chew.
Step 11
11
California squid (calamari): Firm but tender; sweet yet meaty. It's neither fish nor shellfish, really, but it gives great texture and flavor to the soup.
Step 12
12
Dungeness crab: Flaky; sweet and moist.
Step 13
13
Pacific cod (true cod, gray cod): Delicate; mild flavor.
Step 14
14
Pacific halibut: Firm, with mild flavor.
Step 15
15
Petrale sole: Delicate texture; mild, sweet flavor.
Step 16
16
Rockfish (black bass, sea bass, black snapper): Medium-firm; clean sea flavor.
Step 17
17
Sablefish (black cod): Silky, medium-firm; rich, buttery flavor.
Step 18
18
Spiny lobsters: Succulent and firm. Can use, cooked, instead of crab. Available from fall to spring.
Step 19
19
Spot prawns: Incredibly sweet taste and tender-crisp; keep head and tail on for the most flavor. Can be hard to find.
Step 20
20
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
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