Bouillabaisse (French Fish Soup from Marseille)

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 leek
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 lb (500 g) potatoes, firm like Russet, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 10 saffron threads
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 orange, just 2-3 wide strips of orange zest (avoid the white pith)
• 1 lb (500 g) fresh fish, Scorpionfish, Red Mullet, John Dory, or other white fish like Cod, Monkfish, etc.
• 7 oz (200 g) shrimp or prawns
• 1 lb (500 g) mussels
• 1 quart (1 liter) fish stock
• ½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) Pastis (e.g., Pernod Ricard)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 tbsp Rouille sauce, optional

Method

1. Finely chop the onion, fennel, and leek. Dice the tomatoes and potatoes into cubes.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, and leek. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the fennel seeds, saffron threads, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for a few minutes to release the flavors.
4. Deglaze the pot with Pastis and white wine. Pour in the fish stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. For a smoother base, blend the soup and pass it through a sieve to remove any solids. Return the smooth broth to the pot.
6. Add the potatoes, bay leaves, and orange peel. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
7. Rinse the mussels well under cold water and discard any that are open or broken. Cut the fish into chunks. Add the fish, shrimp, and mussels to the pot.
8. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 5–7 minutes on low heat, or until the fish is cooked through, the shrimp are pink, and the mussels have opened. Note: Discard any mussels that have not opened during cooking.
9. Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the Bouillabaisse into bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.