BOUILLABAISSE Recipe

For the broth:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
1 pound fish bones
Water to cover
1 cup white wine

For the Bouillabaisse:
Pinch of Saffron
1 cup leeks, julienned
3 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Juice and zest of one orange
1 cup fennel, julienned
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
2 pounds assorted small whole fresh fish from the Mediterranean such as whiting, squid, sea bass, scorpion fish, eel,
angler fish, cleaned and scaled
1 large lobster
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound mussels
1/2 pound littleneck clams
Salt and pepper

For the Rouille:
1 red pepper, roasted and peeled 2 cloves garlic 1 piece of white bread torn into pieces 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Juice of one lemon Salt and pepper 1/2 cup olive oil
Garnish: 12 slices of crusty French bread

For the broth:
In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme. Add the fish bones, water and wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain.

For the Bouillabaisse: Place the stock on the heat and bring to a simmer. Add the saffron, leeks, tomatoes, orange juice, orange zest, fennel, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add the fish and lobsters. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the shrimp, mussels, and clams. Cook for 6 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Discard any shells that do not open. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Rouille: In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except for the oil. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season the emulsion with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Remove the seafood from the pan and place on a large platter. Pour the stock into a serving bowl. Serve the Rouille and crusty bread on the side of the Bouillabaisse. For individual servings, arrange the seafood in a shallow dish. Ladle the stock over the seafood. Drizzle the Rouille over the seafood and serve with the crusty bread.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes