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Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse, much like other homemade soups and stews, is more of a common concept than a specific recipe. Most cooks add their own special touches as they stir the pot, yet almost all top their bouillabaisse with a generous spoonful of the rich sauce known as rouille, claiming that bouillabaisse without rouille is like a Marseille day without sunshine. This recipe for rouille takes a smart shortcut by starting with bottled mayonnaise rather than making it from scratch.

The history of bouillabaisse is modest and practical. Fisherman in the port city of Marseille and other coastal towns would combine any unsold bits of the daily catch into a hearty and nourishing stew, cooked right on the beach where cauldrons nestled in a makeshift hearth of gathered stones.

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Bouillabaisse

Recipe created for

Round Dutch Oven

Main ingredient

Seafood

Cook time

Under 2 hours

Serving size

6-8

Ingredients

Rouille

  • 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

Stew

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups multi-colored cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup bottled clam juice
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 1/2 pounds mixed mussels and clams, scrubbed and mussel beards removed
  • 1 calamari tube, cleaned and cut into thick rounds
  • 2 pounds white fish fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Recipe Preparation

  1. Make the rouille. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate.
  2. Make the stew. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and fennel, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring often, until it nearly evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in the clam juice and water, then bring to a boil.
  4. Add the shellfish, calamari and white fish fillets. Cover and cook until the shellfish open wide, about 5 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Stir in the parsley, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately alongside baguette slices spread with rouille.
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