Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse
A classic French seafood soup. Fennel gives it a hint of aniseed, saffron its rich golden colour.
Ingredients
5 crab claws, 2 large tomatoes, peeled, 1 large onion, peeled, 4 cloves garlic, peeled, 50ml extra virgin olive oil, 1 floury potato, 1/2 fennel bulb, 3 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp crumbled saffron, 1 1/2 tbsp coarse sea salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 300ml white wine, 500ml boiling water, 1,5kg white fish fillets (such as monkfish, turbot, red snapper, garfish, or cod), cut into large pieces (4x4 cm), with the skin still attached, 8 cocklets, 500g cultivated mussels, scrubbed and debearded, 500g large prawns in shells (raw)
Method
Serves 4
1. Crush the crab claws by smashing them with a pan or similar.
2. Place in sauté pan. Roast on high heat so that the shells become somewhat white and loosened so that liquid can enter.
3. Cut and add the tomatoes, fennel, potato, onion and garlic and pour over the oil. Sauté until soft.
4. Pour in the wine and bring to boil. Then pour in the boiling water and lower the heat to low. Let the broth simmer for about 90 minutes. Strain the broth, first through a wire strainer and then through a filter cloth.
5 Keep the broth warm on a low heat.
6 Place the scallops and fish fillet pieces into separate pans. Pour a ladle of broth into each saucepan. Poach each pan on a low heat for about 2 minutes.
7 Bring the simmering broth to a boil and add the mussels and prawns. Cook with the lid on for about 2 minutes.
To serve Place the pieces of fish, mussels and prawns into a shallow plate or bowl, and pour the broth into a serving jug for your guests to help themselves.
