Bouillabaisse

Ingredients

• 1 kg mixed Mediterranean fish, rouget, baudroie, St. Pierre, cleaned and cut into 5 cm pieces
• 300 g mussels, cleaned, beards removed
• 300 g clams, purged
• 200 g squid, cleaned, cut into rings
• 400 ml fish stock, from bones and heads
• 800 ml whole milk
• 4 large saffron threads
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large fennel bulb, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 200 g San Marzano DOP tomatoes, crushed
• 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 100 g baguette, sliced
• 8 g fine sea salt
• 2 g Aleppo pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. 1
   Heat 60 ml olive oil in large, heavy pot over medium; add onion, fennel, and half the garlic; cook 8 minutes until softened.
2. 2
   Add tomatoes, orange zest and juice, bay leaf, salt, and Aleppo pepper; simmer 10 minutes.
3. 3
   Add fish stock; bring to boil; reduce to gentle simmer.
4. 4
   Toast saffron threads 30 seconds in dry pan; steep in 120 ml warm milk off heat 10 minutes.
5. 5
   Add firm white fish pieces to broth; simmer 4 minutes; add softer fish, mussels, and clams; simmer 4 minutes until shells open and fish flakes easily.
6. 6
   Stir in saffron milk and squid; simmer 2 minutes; taste and adjust seasoning.
7. 7
   Toast baguette slices in oven at 180°C until golden; rub with remaining garlic and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
8. 8
   Ladle bouillabaisse into wide bowls; serve with toasted garlic croutons and rouille (saffron-garlic mayonnaise) on the side.