This classic Marseilles seafood stew recipe uses a variety of fish and shellfish, including crab, squid, mussels, and lobster. It is a true seafood lover's delight and while it's labor-intensive, it's worth the trouble. The seafood bones, heads, and shells make the rich bouillon base of the chunky soup. You will need a large stockpot for this recipe.
Ingredients
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2 pounds whole rockfish, filleted and cut into large chunks, bones reserved
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1 pound whole John Dory, filleted and cut into large chunks, bones reserved
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2 pounds whole red snapper, filleted and cut into large chunks, bones reserved
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1 pound whole striped bass, filleted and cut into large chunks, bones reserved
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2 pounds whole grouper, filleted and cut into large chunks, bones reserved
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6 medium blue crabs, broken into small pieces
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2 small lobsters, about 1 1/2 pounds, heads removed and reserved
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6 tablespoons olive oil
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1/2 medium onion, diced
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2 stalks celery, diced
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1 medium carrot, diced
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1/2 medium fennel bulb, diced
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5 cloves garlic
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2 large tomatoes, diced
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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3 tablespoons pastis (licorice-flavored French liqueur)
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1 cup white wine
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12 whole black peppercorns
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1 small dried red chile pepper
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1 bay leaf
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2 sprigs fresh thyme
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1 pinch saffron
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5 fresh parsley stems
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Salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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16 small squid
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1 cup mussels
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12 to 16 baby red potatoes
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1 toasted baguette
Steps to Make It
Prepare the Bouillon
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Gather the bullion ingredients.
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In a large, hot stockpot roast the bones of the rockfish, John Dory, rouget, striped bass, grouper, crab and the lobster heads in the olive oil over medium-high heat until opaque.
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Once the bones are opaque, add the onion, celery, carrot, fennel, and garlic.
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Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often.
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Add the tomatoes and cook until soft.
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Stir in the tomato paste and coat all of the vegetables and bones.
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Add the pastis and cook until dry.
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Add the white wine and reduce by half.
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Add the peppercorns, chile pepper, bay leaf, thyme, saffron, and parsley stems, and then add enough water just to cover.
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Cook until the liquid has reduced by a third. Stir frequently so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
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In another large pot run all of the contents of the bouillon through a medium-holed food mill and discard solids. Season the resulting bouillon with salt and pepper.
Make the Bouillabaisse
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Gather the remaining ingredients.
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Bring the bouillon to a simmer and add the fish individually based on its thickness (thickest chunks first). Cut the lobster tail through the shell into large pieces. Add the lobster, squid, and mussels to the bouillon.
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Cook until the mussels open. Bring the pot to the table and ladle into large bowls.
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Serve with steamed whole baby red potatoes tossed with olive oil and salt and toasted baguette on the side to sop up the juices.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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1327 | Calories |
23g | Fat |
106g | Carbs |
159g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 to 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 1327 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 23g | 30% |
Saturated Fat 5g | 23% |
Cholesterol 505mg | 168% |
Sodium 1253mg | 54% |
Total Carbohydrate 106g | 39% |
Dietary Fiber 12g | 42% |
Total Sugars 11g | |
Protein 159g | |
Vitamin C 67mg | 334% |
Calcium 348mg | 27% |
Iron 11mg | 60% |
Potassium 4903mg | 104% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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