Bouillabaisse
Instructions:
- Ask Provençal cooks how to make bouillabaisse and you’ll get a different and passionate response each time. When preparing this classic fisherman’s stew, use at least three different kinds of fish with textures ranging from firm to flaky; add the most fragile fish to the pot last. Serve with bread toasts and generous dollops of the aïoli. C’est magnifique!
- 3 leeks (1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large fennel bulb (11â„2 pounds), trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
- 1 can (14 to 16 ounces) tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 3 strips (3" by 1" each) orange peel
- 1â„2 bay leaf
- 3â„4 teaspoon salt
- 1â„4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1â„8 teaspoon ground black pepper Easy Aïoli
- 1 pound monkfish, dark membrane removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 dozen medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 pound cod fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 loaf French bread, thinly sliced and lightly toasted
- Cut off roots and trim dark green tops from leeks; cut each leek lengthwise in half, then crosswise into thin slices. Rinse leeks in large bowl of cold water, swishing to remove sand; transfer to colander to drain, leaving sand in bottom of bowl.
- In nonreactive 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in leeks, fennel, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and ground red pepper and cook 30 seconds.
- Add wine and heat to boiling; boil 1 minute. Stir in clam juice, tomatoes with their juice, water, orange peel, bay leaf, salt, thyme, and black pepper, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
- Meanwhile, prepare Easy Aïoli
. - Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in monkfish; cover and cook 3 minutes. Stir in mussels; cover and cook 1 minute. Stir in cod and shrimp; cover and cook until mussels open and fish and shrimp are just opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
- To serve, ladle bouillabaisse into large shallow soup bowls; sprinkle with parsley. Spoon aïoli onto toasted French bread and float in bouillabaisse. Makes 11 cups or 6 main-dish servings.