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All-Out Bouillabaisse

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time About 2 hours

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 7 ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes
  • 1 pound bones and/or cleaned heads from any firm, white fish
  • 2 onions, 1 cut into chunks (don’t bother to peel) and 1 chopped
  • 2 fresh parsley sprigs
  • 2 garlic cloves, 1 smashed and 1 chopped
  • 1 carrot, cut into chunks
  • 1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 roasted red pepper chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
  • 1 cup and 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • Big pinch saffron
  • 2 tablespoons Pernod liqueur (or other anise-flavored liqueur)
  • 12 ounces halibut fillet, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 4 large (sea) scallops
  • 4 ounces shrimp, unpeeled
  • 1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • 1 dozen mussels, scrubbed
  • 1 baguette, sliced on the bias
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chervil or chives

Instructions

  1. Make the fish broth: Chop 1 tomato and put it in a large pot with the fish bones, chunked onion, parsley, smashed garlic, carrot, celery, wine, bay leaf, and 4 cups water. Bring to just below a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook until very fragrant, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool slightly, then strain, pressing the vegetables and fish bones to extract as much liquid as possible. (Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a few weeks.)
  2. Make the rouille: Put the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, roasted pepper, chopped garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in a blender or food processor; turn on the machine and, with the machine running, add 1 cup oil in a thin, steady stream. After you’ve added about half of it, the mixture will thicken; you can then begin adding the oil a bit faster. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust the seasoning. (Refrigerate until ready to use or up to 2 days.)
  3. Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and cover with water. Working with the remaining 6 tomatoes, one at a time, cut a small X in the bottom end. Put each tomato in the bubbling water and leave it until the skin begins to loosen, less than a minute. Immediately transfer the tomato to the ice bath; repeat with the remaining 5 tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes and squeeze out the seeds, then chop the tomatoes.
  4. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the chopped onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the orange zest, fennel seeds, saffron, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1  minute.
  5. Add the tomatoes, the Pernod, the orange juice, and all the fish stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles enthusiastically and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the halibut and when the broth starts to bubble again, add the scallops, shrimp,  clams, and mussels. Cover and stand close by. When the broth boils again, reduce the heat and cook,  checking every minute or 2, until the clams and mussels begin to open and the shrimp and scallops are opaque, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove any unopened shellfish. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Make the croutons: Turn the broiler to high and position the rack 4 inches beneath it. Put the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil until browned on the edges and crisp, about a minute or 2. Spread some rouille on the croutons and serve with the hot bouillabaisse, garnished with the herbs.

— Recipe from Dinner for Everyone