Quick Bouillaibasse: A Fine Kettle of Fish
Last September, my wife and I and three other couples rented a house near the town of Menerbes in Provence for a few weeks. As is the case when we have rented houses elsewhere, I like to cook the local classics. One is bouillabaisse.
Bouillabaisse is one of those dishes that generates arguments about what must go into it to make it authentic. One thing that is considered de rigeur is rascasse (scorpion fish) because its boniness lends a gelatinous quality to the broth.
So, of course, I had to buy rascasse for my bouillabaisse, especially since
it isn’t available in the United States. At the outdoor market in St. Remy (one of the best in Provence) I came upon a fishmonger and instantly spotted the hideous looking rascasse.
Even uglier was the price. Having visited France many times before, I was prepared to pay more than Americans are accustomed to for seafood (not to mention meat and poultry). But the weak American dollar made things even worse. That three-pound rascasse cost $90! And it left little else for the fish stew other than tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (yes, potatoes).
You don’t really need rascasse or potatoes and you don’t have to spend all day making bouillabaisse either. Here’s a 15-minute version from my first “Cooking to Beat the Clock” book.
15-Minute Bouillabaisse
- Two 8-ounce bottles clam juice
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 medium onion, about 8 ounces
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground fennel
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Three 4-ounce pieces monkfish or swordfish
- Three 4-ounce pieces halibut, snapper, or sea bass
- 8 ounces cleaned squid bodies
- 1 small French baguette
- 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers from a jar
- 1 egg yolk (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
1)Preheat the broiler and adjust the broiling rack between 3 and 6 inches from the heat source. Open the bottles of clam juice and pour into a large measuring cup or small bowl. Crush 1/4 teaspoon of the saffron between your fingers into the clam juice. Stir and set aside.
2)Put a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat. Peel and quarter the onion. Peel the garlic. Then add the onion and 3 cloves of the garlic into a food processor. Pulse just until chopped. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan along with the onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes
3)Add the tomatoes, fennel, clam juice with saffron, and salt and pepper to taste to the pan. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut each piece of fish in half (making 2-ounce pieces). Reduce the heat to medium, add the fish, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the squid into rings. Add the squid for the final 1 minute.
4)While the seafood cooks, cut the baguette into nine 1/2-inch slices on the diagonal. Put 8 of the slices on a baking sheet and toast both sides in the broiler, about 1 minute on each side.
5)To make the rouille, drop the remaining garlic clove down the chute of the food processor (no need to wash it) with the motor running. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the roasted peppers, egg yolk, reserved bread slice, and the remaining saffron, crushed between your fingers. Purée, then, with the motor running, gradually add the remaining 7 tablespoons of olive oil through the chute until the mixture has the consistency of mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt.
6)Divide the seafood and broth among 4 soup plates. Spread the rouille on the toasted baguette slices and put 2 slices on top of each plate. Serve any remaining rouille in a small bowl at the table. Serves 4.
