Southern California Bouillabaisse with Rouille Recipe by Moonshadows

Bouillabaise Stock

1) In a stainless steel stockpot heat the olive oil over medium heat and sweat the onions, leeks, garlic, fennel and celery for 20-25 minutes until soft. Try to avoid any coloring of the vegetables.

2) Increase the heat and add the fish chunks constantly stirring until the fish falls apart for about 7-10 minutes.

3) Add the Pernod and inflame insuring that the alcohol burns, then add white wine, tomatoes, bouquet garni and orange peel. Lower the heat to prevent burning and continue stirring for another 5 minutes.

4) Add water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. No stirring is necessary.

5) Pass the mixture in small batches through a food mill, discarding the fish scraps each time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This is your base for the bouillabaisse.

Bouillabaise Stock Note:

Cut sculpin into medium chunks, or any other fish with skin and bones that can give a gelatinous texture to the stock.

Bouillabaise

1) Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over high heat and sear previously salted and peppered fish pieces from both sides.

2) Add the mussels and clams, fennel stems and the saffron threads. Mix carefully without breaking the fish cubes for 2-3 minutes.

3) Deglaze with Pernod and inflame to burn.

4) Pour the hot bouillabaisse stock over and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and add the calamari and the prawns. Simmer for five minutes.

5) To serve, ladle bouillabaisse decoratively into soup plates and serve with warm pieces of baguette and little ramekins of rouille which can be spread over the bread. Bon appetit!

Bouillabaise Note:

Assorted fresh fish should be scaled, gutted, filleted and cut into two - three bite pieces: red snapper, monkfish, red mullet, sculpin, striped bass, grouper.

Calamari should be cut in rings. Prawns should be head on.

Rouille

1) Place the first 7 ingredients in a robot coupe food processor and blend until smooth.

2) With the machine running add the oil drop by drop until the mixture reaches mayonnaise like consistency.

3) Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Rouille Note:

The rouille can be prepared several days ahead to allow flavors to develop and blend.

Ingredients

1/4 C. Olive oil 4 Garlic cloves 5 Tbsp. Olive oil 2 Medium white or brown onions, chopped 2 Medium potatoes, cooked in bouillabaisse stock 5 lb. Assorted fresh fish pieces, salted and peppered 4 Leeks, white part only, halved, rinsed, chopped 3 lb. Assorted black mussels, clams, calamari, prawns 1 Demi-baguette, de-crusted, soaked in bouillabaisse 6 Garlic cloves sliced 4-6 Fennel stems (preferably wild), roughly chopped 2 Red bell pepper, roasted and peeled 4-6 Fennel stems (preferably wild), chopped 2 Tbsp. Saffron threads 1/4 C. Bouillabaisse stock, warm 2 Stalks celery, chopped 2 Tbsp. Pernod 2 Egg yolk 3 lb. Fresh cleaned and gutted sculpin cut into chunks 4 qt. Hot bouillabaisse stock (see recipe above) 2-3 pinch Cayenne pepper 1/8 C. Pernod 1/2 C. Extra virgin olive oil 1/2 C. Dry white wine 1 lemon, juiced 4-6 Tomatoes, chopped to taste, Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 Bouquet: 4 thyme sprigs, bunch parsley, bay leaf 1 Orange peel-white removed, julienned-fine stripes 4 qt. Water (preferably fishstock) to taste, Salt and pepper

Southern California Bouillabaisse with Rouille Recipe

Recipe Info

Restaurant: Moonshadows | Los Angeles

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