Bouillabaisse

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

Bouillabaisse was created in Marseilles in the Provence region of France as a way for fishermen to use up the less-desirable fish that didn’t sell at the market that day. The broth is made by simmering fish bones and the following key ingredients and flavors: floral saffron, sweet and anise-y fennel, and bright orange zest. After simmering, the broth is blended up and strained into a poaching liquid for the fish fillets. (Don’t worry — this weeknight-friendly version starts with fish stock so you don’t need to go buy fish bones.) The recipes from both my French chef instructors and Julia Child contain just fish and no shellfish. In fact, both insist on at least six (!) types of fish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium leek, halved lengthwise, rinsed of grit, and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium plum tomato, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 large shallot or 1/4 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 large pinches saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 dried bay leaf
1 wide strip fresh orange peel (about 2 inches long)
1/2 cup dried white wine
1 quart fish or seafood stock (32 ounces)
4 sprigs fresh parsley
2 1/2 pounds assorted skinless white fish fillets, cut crosswise into 2- to 3-inch pieces
Coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Toasted crusty bread slices, such as sourdough or baguette
Easy Garlic Aioli (see recipe below)

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large high-sided skillet (at least 10 inches) or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 diced small fennel bulb, 1 coarsely chopped medium leek, 1 diced medium plum tomato, 1 diced large shallot, 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 7 minutes.
Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 large pinches saffron threads, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 wide strip fresh orange peel, and 1 dried bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup dry white wine and simmer until the wine is almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 quart fish stock, 4 fresh parsley sprigs, and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for 30 minutes to reduce slightly and let the flavors meld.
Turn off the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf and parsley stems. Working in batches if needed, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer back into the skillet. Press on the solids to extract as much of the liquid as possible until only a paste is left in the strainer. Scrape the underside of the strainer into the skillet. Discard the contents of the strainer.
Taste the broth and season with more kosher salt as needed; it should be very well-seasoned. Return to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 2 1/2 pounds cut white fish fillets, starting with the thickest pieces and ending with the thinnest. Make sure the fish is mostly submerged in liquid and return to a lively simmer.
Gently stir again to move the fish at the top closer to the bottom. Turn off the heat. Cover and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes to let the residual heat gently finish cooking the fish (the fish should be opaque).
Serve in bowls garnished with chopped fresh parsley leaves, with toasted bread and garlic aioli on the side. Alternatively, gently transfer the fish to a serving platter with a slotted spoon and garnish with chopped parsley. Place toasted bread in shallow serving bowls (the bread can be smeared with aioli, or the aioli can be served on the side). Ladle broth over the bread, then top with fish.