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French Bouillabaisse Recipe

Bouillabaisse (Fish or Seafood Stew) In a white bowl with clams, shrimp, and chunks of white fish in a yellow red delicate sauce.
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EatSimpleFood.com

Bouillabaisse is a traditional southern French seafood /fish stew recipe made with saffron.  Fish stew is light and versatile and can be made with whatever seafood you have on hand.

Ingredients

  • ~ 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup fennel, thinly sliced
  • 1 fennel frond (leaf), finely chopped as garnish
  • 1 cup onion, sliced
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 9 cups fish stock
  • 3 medium roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, finely diced
  • 1 big pinch Saffron, crumbled
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 1 lb grouper / amberjack / or halibut fish fillets, skinned & cut into 1" cubes
  • 18 clams, washed
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • red pepper flakes - optional for spice as garnish

Instructions

  • Bring a large stockpot to medium heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot
  • Add the onions and fennel when hot.
  • Turn the heat to low, cover and "sweat" for ~ 10 minutes.  Sweating is cooking the vegetables on a low heat until they become translucent and not brown/caramelized.
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant ~ 1-2 minutes.  
  • Add fish stock, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.  
  • Crumble as best you can the saffron in your hands and add that to the mix.  Stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered ~ 15 minutes.
  • Add fish, shrimp, and clams.  Add more fish stock if you'd like a thinner consistency.  
  • Cover and simmer on low ~ 6-8 minutes or until clams have opened and fish is cooked through.
  • Discard any shells that have not opened.  
  • Add salt to taste, garnish with chopped fennel fronds, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.  
  • Toast some bread and get ready to dip.  Happy eating!  Beckie

Notes

  • Clams need to be alive when cooked.  Many places give you clams wrapped in a plastic bag which they should not as the little guys need to breathe to stay alive.  Immediately open the bag and transfer to a bowl of ice and keep in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
  • Rinse & scrub clams and put them back on ice.  Discard any clams that are open before you start cooking and discard any that won’t open after they’ve been cooked.
  • Here's an easy way to peel tomatoes.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and make an "X" with a knife in both ends of the tomato.  Blanch (toss in boiling water) for ~ 2 minutes.  Cool with running water or in an ice bath and peel back the skin.
  • Can't afford or find saffron?  Cool - substitute a pinch of turmeric for that golden color.

Find it online: https://eatsimplefood.com/bouillabaisse/