I made my very first bouillabaisse in Robe, Australia (click here to read my post about Robe) . It is a traditional fish stew originating from Marseille, on the South east cost of France. Bouillabaisse was made by local fishermen using rockfish. Through the years, the recipe was adapted. And the bouillabaisse, now, can be easily cooked anywhere in the world as long as you have fish.
Two years after this trip to Robe, I started this blog about the travels I’ve done and the local cuisine I have tasted. I couldn’t wait to ask Angela for her recipe. Here it is, just for you !
Recipe
La bouillabaisse…(for 6 persons)
La rouille (the sauce you spread on croutons)
1 small capsicum
1 slice of white bread (crusts removed)
1 red chilli
2 garlic cloves
1 egg yolk
80ml olive oil
La soupe
18 mussels
1.5 kg firm white fish, skin on
2 tablespoons oil
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
750 g ripe tomatoes (or tinned is ok)
1.25 litres fish stock
Pinch saffron threads
Bouquet garni
5 cm piece of orange zest
To make the rouille, preheat the grill. Cut the capsicum in half, remove the seeds and membrane and place, skin side up, under the hot grill until the skin blackens and blisters. Leave to cool before peeling away the skin. Roughly chop the capsicum.
SOAK the bread in 3 tablespoons water, then squeeze dry with your hands. Put the capsicum, chilli, bread, garlic and egg yolk in a mortar & pestle or food processor and pound or mix together. Gradually add the oil in a thin stream, pounding or mixing until the rouille is smooth and has the texture of thick mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate the rouille until needed.
To make the soup, scrub the mussels and remove their beards. Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the fennel and onion over medium heat for 5 mins, or until golden.
Score a cross in the top of each tomato. Plunge into boiling water for 29 seconds, then drain and peel he skin away from the cross. Chop the tomatoes, discarding the cores. Add to the pan and cook for 3 mins. Stir in the stock, saffron,bouquet garni and orange zest, bring to the boil and boil for 10 mins. Remove the bouquet garni and either push the soup through a sieve or purée in a blender. Return to the cleaned pan, season well and bring back to the boil. *you can add a dash of Pernod at this stage if desired
Reduce the heat to simmer and add the fish and mussels. Cook for 5 mins or until the fish is tender and the mussels have opened. Serve the soup with rouille and bread. Or lift out the fish and mussels and serve separately.
Cook and Travel 
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