Bouillabaisse Provençal Fish Stew (Printable Version)

Hearty seafood stew blending white fish, mussels, saffron, and herbs with a rich garlicky sauce and toasted bread.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Seafood

01 - 14 oz firm white fish fillets (e.g., monkfish, sea bass), cut into chunks
02 - 10.5 oz oily fish fillets (e.g., red mullet), cut into chunks
03 - 10.5 oz mussels, cleaned and debearded
04 - 7 oz small shrimp, peeled and deveined
05 - 6 large sea scallops (optional)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1 large leek (white part only), thinly sliced
09 - 2 fennel bulbs, sliced
10 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
12 - 1 large carrot, sliced
13 - Zest of 1 orange
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
16 - 1 sprig fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
17 - ½ tsp saffron threads
18 - 1 tsp fennel seeds
19 - ½ tsp black peppercorns
20 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Liquids

21 - ¾ cup dry white wine
22 - 6 ¼ cups fish stock or water

→ Rouille

23 - 1 egg yolk
24 - 1 garlic clove, minced
25 - 1 small red chili, seeded and chopped
26 - ½ tsp saffron threads soaked in 1 tbsp warm water
27 - ⅓ cup olive oil
28 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
29 - Salt, to taste

→ To Serve

30 - 1 small baguette, sliced and toasted
31 - Extra olive oil for drizzling

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until softened without browning.
02 - Incorporate tomatoes, orange zest, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, saffron, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Pour in white wine, simmer for 2 minutes. Add fish stock or water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to develop flavors.
04 - Strain the broth through a fine sieve, pressing solids to extract maximum flavor. Discard solids and return broth to cleaned pot.
05 - Bring broth to a gentle simmer. Add firm fish pieces first and cook for 5 minutes. Add oily fish, mussels, shrimp, and scallops if using. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes until seafood is cooked and mussels open; discard any unopened mussels. Adjust seasoning to taste.
06 - In a bowl, whisk egg yolk, garlic, chili, saffron with soaking water, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Gradually drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly until a thick mayonnaise-like sauce forms. Season with salt.
07 - Ladle stew into warmed bowls, garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil and a generous spoonful of rouille on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but the real magic happens in under two hours.
  • Every spoonful carries the sweetness of fennel, warmth of saffron, and that golden rouille that makes you want to scrape the bowl clean.
  • It's impressive enough to serve at dinner, yet forgiving enough to handle last-minute ingredient swaps.
02 -
  • Don't skip the straining step; it's what separates bouillabaisse from fish soup—the clarity and purity of that golden broth is everything.
  • Add your seafood in stages: firm fish first, then everything else together, because they cook at different rates and you want each piece tender but not falling apart.
  • Fresh seafood is non-negotiable here; frozen fish will release water and make the broth cloudy and diluted.
03 -
  • Make the rouille several hours ahead or even the day before; it'll be more stable and forgiving than a rushed emulsion.
  • Taste the broth before adding seafood and adjust seasoning boldly—the fish and shellfish will mellow it slightly, so don't be shy with salt and pepper.
  • If your rouille breaks or splits, start fresh with a new egg yolk and whisk in the broken batch drop by drop; it usually comes back together.
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