It took a handful of trials before perfecting my bouillabaisse recipe, mainly because it is practically the national dish of southern France, and I wanted to be sure it was up to the lofty Marseillaise standard.  It is not an easy dish to simplify, since every little step really does make a difference, however I have cut out a few to make it more reasonable and less intimidating.  That being said, all of the components for a delicious soupe de poisson are here, from the fish bones, to the saffron potatoes, rouille and croutons.  The real secret to a great version is choosing the best ingredients: fresh fish, high-quality saffron, and young garlic are the deal breakers.  I’ve kept the rouille recipe separate so familiarize yourself with it ahead of time and click over for detailed instructions when indicated.  Bon courage & bon appétit!

Difficulty:

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Serves 4

1 ½ pounds baby potatoes

sea salt & pepper

2 Tbsp + ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1.5-pound Loup de Mer (Branzino), filleted, bones reserved

2 Red Mullet, filleted (optional), bones reserved

1 large bulb fennel, cut into ½” sections, divided

1 med. white onion, sliced

1 large garlic clove, germ removed

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs thyme

2 pinches saffron

3 med. tomatoes, (1 14-ounce can) diced

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

6 cups. vegetable stock or water

1 recipe Rouille

•Add potatoes to a medium-large pot and cover by 2” with cold water and 1T coarse salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce to medium and cook 10-12 minutes, until a paring knife slides in and out easily.  Drain the water, allow to cool enough to touch, peel and slice ½” thick.

•Cut fillets or whole fish into 3” pieces and rinse bones in cold water.

oIf cooking fish on the bone, add 2 minutes sooner than filleted pieces, while the fennel is still slightly firm.