Bouillabaisse with Rouille sauce
6 servings
60 minutes
Bouillabaisse with Rouille sauce is a traditional dish of French cuisine from Provence. This rich fish soup was originally a simple peasant meal for fishermen but has become a culinary symbol of the region over time. Tender monkfish fillet and juicy mussels are infused with the aromas of saffron, bouquet garni, and orange zest, creating a deep, rich flavor with light citrus notes. The thick Rouille sauce made from roasted red peppers, garlic, and olive oil adds spiciness and a silky texture to the dish. Bouillabaisse is served with crispy bread toasts that perfectly complement its rich consistency. It is not just a soup but a true gastronomic journey to the heart of southern France where each ingredient plays its unique role in creating a rich palette of flavors.
1
Preheat the grill. Cut the red pepper in half, remove the seeds and membranes, and place it on the grill, skin side up. Grill until the skin blackens. Remove the skin and slice the pepper into strips.
- Fresh red pepper: 1 piece
2
Cut the crust off a piece of bread and soak the pulp in water, then gently squeeze it. Place the prepared pepper, soaked bread, chopped chili and garlic, and yolk in a mortar and grind into a smooth paste with a pestle. Gradually pour in olive oil while constantly whisking. Cover and refrigerate.
- White bread: 1 piece
- Red chili pepper: 1 piece
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Egg yolk: 1 piece
- Olive oil: 4 tablespoons
3
Heat vegetable oil in a large pot and sauté finely chopped fennel and onion for 5 minutes until golden.
- Vegetable oil: 2 tablespoons
- Fennel root: 1 piece
- Onion: 1 head
4
Make cross-shaped cuts on all tomatoes and dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to cold water. Peel the skin and chop finely.
- Tomatoes: 750 g
5
Add tomatoes to the fennel and onion and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add broth, saffron, bouquet garni, and orange zest. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni and zest, and strain the soup through a sieve. Pour back into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add fish cut into small pieces and mussels. Cook for 5 minutes until the fish is tender and the mussels open.
- Tomatoes: 750 g
- Fish broth: 1.25 l
- Bouquet garni: 1 bunch
- Saffron: pinch
- Orange zest: 1 piece
- Fillet of monkfish: 1.5 kg
- Mussels in shells: 18 pieces
6
Serve the soup with chilled sauce and bread toasts.