Bouillabaisse (Provençal fish stew)
This steaming bowl of delicious fish stew originates from Marseille. Saffron, chilli, garlic and fennel adds a unique flavour to clams, cod, mullet, mussels and langoustines.
Bouillabaisse with garlic and saffron aïoli
Serves 4 - 6
Easy
Prep:
Cook:
Gently simmered and generous, this fisherman’s stew is served with toasted bread and bold garlic and saffron aïoli for spooning liberally over the top
Skip to ingredients
- large pinch of saffron
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionfinely sliced
- 1 leeksliced
- 1 fennel bulbsliced (fronds reserved)
- 6 garlic clovessliced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 200ml dry white wine
- 400ml passata
- 1.2 litres good-quality fish stock
- 1 orangezested and juiced
- 500g mixed firm white fish (such as cod and hake)cut into chunks
- 200g musselscleaned
- 250g raw king prawnspeeled
- finely chopped tarragonto garnish
- toasted baguette slicesto serve
GARLIC AND SAFFRON AÏOLI
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- 150ml light olive oil
- small pinch of saffronsoaked in 1 tbsp of boiling water
- lemon juiceto taste
Nutrition: per serving (6)
- kcal490
- fat32g
- saturates5g
- carbs10g
- sugars8g
- fibre5g
- protein31g
- salt0.9g
Method
step 1
Lightly crush the saffron, then put in a small heatproof bowl with 2 tbsp of warm (not boiling) water. Set aside to bloom for 10-15 mins.
step 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onion, leek and fennel with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and fennel seeds, and cook for 1 min until fragrant.
step 3
Stir in the tomato purée, then pour in the wine and simmer for 5 mins to reduce slightly. Add the passata, stock and bloomed saffron, along with its soaking liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 mins. Add the orange zest and juice, and stir through.
step 4
Add the fish, prawns and mussels, cover and cook for 5-7 mins until the fish is just cooked and the mussels have opened – discard any that remain closed. Season to taste.
step 5
To make the aïoli, crush the garlic to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt. Whisk with the egg yolk and mustard, then slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking until thickened and emulsified.
step 6
Stir through the bloomed saffron and its soaking liquid, then add lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Serve the bouillabaisse with some toasted bread slices, topped with some chopped tarragon and generous spoonfuls of the aïoli.
