Bouillabaisse
Serves 8 Time 1 hour Difficulty 2/5 Ingredients 25 Steps 10
Bouillabaisse is a traditional fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille. It is made by boiling several species of fish with herbs and vegetables. The broth is then served as a soup poured over bread seasoned with rouille (a spicy French mayonnaise) with the fish and vegetables served separately. The exact proportions of these ingredients vary by cook and region.
Ingredients
Broth
- 660 g whole cleaned sea robin
- 660 g whole cleaned scorpionfish
- 660 g whole cleaned red gurnard
- 660 g whole cleaned conger
- 660 g whole cleaned lotte, or monkfish
- 660 g whole cleaned John Dory
- 1 live octopus (optional), cleaned and cut into pieces
- 10 sea urchins
- 1 kg of potatoes, peeled and cut into large slices
- 7 cloves of garlic
- 3 onions, sliced
- 5 ripe tomatoes, peeled, quartered and without seeds
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 branch of fennel
- 8 threads of saffron
- 10 slices of country bread
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
Rouille
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 10 threads of saffron
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
Steps
- Scale fish. Wash, in sea water if possible. Cut into large slices, leaving bones.
- Warm olive oil in large, deep saucepan.
- Add onions, 6 cloves crushed garlic, octopus pieces and tomatoes. Brown at low heat 5 minutes, turning gently.
- Add fish slices, large first, then smaller. Cover with boiling water. Add salt, pepper, fennel, bouquet garni and saffron. Simmer on low heat, stirring from time to time so fish does not stick. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat when oil and water have blended thoroughly with other ingredients, about twenty minutes.
- Make rouille: crush garlic cloves, stems removed, to fine paste in mortar. Add egg yolk and saffron. Blend in olive oil little by little with pestle to make mayonnaise.
- Cook potatoes in salted water 15 to 20 minutes. Open sea urchins with scissors. Remove roe with small spoon.
- Arrange fish on platter. Add sea urchin roe to broth. Stir.
- Rub several bread slices with garlic. Spread a tablespoon of rouille on each. Place at least two slices per serving bowl.
- Remove fish and potatoes from broth. Place on large serving platter.
- Pour hot broth into each bowl with rouille bread. Serve fish and potatoes on separate platter.
Notes from the original
- Finding all the species of fish listed above may be difficult. If so, substitute any combination of four of five species with firm, white flesh.
- Serve this dish without rouille to reduce the fat and cholesterol in this dish.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Bouillabaisse” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-06-21, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.