Todd English's Bouillabaisse

(36)
Servings:
10

A panoply of fresh fish and shellfish give this stew its wow-inducing flavor. The recipe comes from chef Todd English.

Ingredients

For the broth

  • 5 pounds red snapper, monkfish, or striped bass bones, heads removed

  • 2 cups tomato paste

  • ½ cup olive oil

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 carrots, sliced ¼-inch thick on the bias

  • 2 fennel bulbs, sliced ¼-inch thick on the bias

  • 1 bunch celery, sliced ¼-inch thick on the bias

  • 2 onions, sliced

  • 3 leeks, white parts only, sliced

  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh saffron

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Pernod

  • 16 cups Homemade Fish Stock

  • 1 (750 mL) bottle white wine, such as Chardonnay

  • 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

For serving

  • Rouille for Bouillabaisse

  • 6 slices baguette

  • Olive oil

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

  • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

For the seafood

  • 12 jumbo shrimp

  • 12 (2-ounce) monkfish pieces

  • 12 (2-ounce) striped bass pieces

  • 1 (1 ½-pound) cuttlefish, cleaned

  • 3 cups extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 oranges, halved and sliced

  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced

  • 1 cup chopped green fennel fronds

  • 2 cups olive oil

  • 2 cups finely chopped carrots

  • 2 cups finely chopped celery

  • 2 cups finely chopped fennel

  • 1 tablespoon saffron

  • 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

  • 2 pounds cockle clams

  • 1 cup Pernod

Directions

  1. Make the Broth: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rub fish bones with tomato paste and place on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast until dark brown, about 15 minutes.

  2. Divide carrots, fennel, celery, onions, leeks, and garlic evenly between two baking sheets; drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast until dark brown,15 to 20 minutes.

  3. Sprinkle saffron over vegetables and transfer to a large stockpot along with roasted bones. Divide Pernod evenly between the vegetables' baking sheets and deglaze; pour into stockpot. Add stock, wine, and crushed tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 1 hour.

  4. Working in batches, transfer liquid and bones to the jar of a blender; blend until smooth. Set a fine mesh strainer over a large saucepan; strain broth into saucepan; discard solids. Remove 4 cups of broth and set aside.

  5. Make the Seafood: Place shrimp, monkfish, bass, and cuttlefish in a large bowl. Add extra-virgin olive oil, orange slices, onions, and fennel fronds; toss to combine. Transfer to refrigerator and let marinate for 3 hours.

  6. Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Drain marinade from seafood and add to skillet; cook, turning, until browned, about 1 minute per side. Remove from skillet. Cut cuttlefish into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set all fish aside.

  7. Add carrot, celery, fennel, and saffron to skillet; cook, stirring, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add Pernod. Return to heat and cook until liquid has evaporated slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large Dutch-oven over medium-high heat. Add mussels and clams; cover and cook until mussels and clams open, about 10 minutes. Add reserved 4 cups broth and reserved fish; let simmer about 10 minutes.

  8. For Serving: Meanwhile, reheat remaining broth over medium heat. Add 1 cup of rouille and using an immersion blender, blend to combine.

  9. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle baguette slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on grill and cook, turning once, until bread is crisp and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side. Top each bread slice with 1 tablespoon rouille; set aside.

  10. Divide fish mixture evenly between six large bowls; ladle over heated broth mixture. Top with grilled bread and garnish with orange zest and chopped parsley.

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