Bouillabaisse Fish Soup Information

The Marseille bouillabaisse is definitely a gem of the traditional Southern France cooking. This Provencal fish soup used to be a main dish for poor people, commonly cooked by fishermen's wives with the leftovers of the catch. Nowadays, the bouillabaisse from the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur region has become a reference of the French gastronomy.

According to the Provencal tradition, an authentic Marseillaise bouillabaisse should include at least five different kinds of sea fish, from haddock and cod to perch and bass - without forgetting shellfish! This French regional fish soup from Provences Alpes Cote d'Azur actually implies only one restriction, to cook extremely fresh fishes. Once you match this requirement, any combination is acceptable!

Marseille's bouillabaisse is originally cooked with scorpionfish, sea robin and European conger. All the fresh fishes are then stewed with vegetables and shellfish (mussels, crab, octopus, among others) and flavoured with a variety of Provencal herbs and spices such as garlic, basil, bay leaf, fennel and saffron.

In many restaurants of the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur region, this traditional fish soup is served in a typical Provencal pot, with rouille and / or Aioli (French garlic mayonnaise) on a side plate. You can also enjoy more refined versions of this Mediterranean speciality, with langoustine for example, and complemented with a glass of Cotes de Provence Rose wine.

In 1980, some of the Grand Chefs from Provence elaborated a special "Marseillaise Bouillabaisse Charter" that includes the authentic French recipe and traditional cooking. The greatest restaurants in the world that offer bouillabaisse must comply with it as much as possible.

If you want to read more about it, you can have more information about Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur Gastronomy.

Bouillabaisse Fish soup Recipe

Bouillabaisse Ingredients

3 red mullet, descaled
450g/1lb of monkfish fillet
1 x 900g/2lb sea bass, descaled
12 raw large tiger prawns
5 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely chopped
1 bulb fennel, finely chopped
675g/1.5lb tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tsp tomato puree
1 small bunch freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 strips orange peel
500ml/1pt fish stock
2L/3.5pt bottle mineral water
1 tsp saffron stamens
5-10g/1-2tsp salt
2 tbsp pernod, or similar
36 mussels

Bouillabaisse Cooking Method

Remove the heads from the prawns, cut along the length of their backs with a sharp knife and remove the intestinal tract. Set aside. Cut the monkfish into 4cm/1.5 in chunks. Fillet the sea bass and red mullet, reserving the head and bones. Cut each fillet of sea bass into three pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic, leek, and fennel. Cook gently for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft, but not coloured.

Stir in the tomatoes, fennel seeds, tomato puree, all the prawn shells and fish trimmings, the chopped parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Add the orange zest, fish stock and mineral water and finally the saffron. Bring to the boil and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes skimming the surface occasionally to remove any froth.

When the fish broth has reduced to about 1.7L/3.5 pt, remove from the heat and strain into a clean pan. Add the pernod, taste and season accordingly. Return to a simmer and add the monkfish, mussels, sea bass and red mullet. Bring back up to a simmer and add the prawns. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until the mussels have opened and the prawns have turned pink.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a warm serving plate and pour the soup into a tureen. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.