Easy bouillabaisse

June 26, 2013 (Last Updated: January 11, 2019)
Easy bouillabaisse recipe

For such a popular and elegant dish, it’s surprising to learn that bouillabaisse was originally created from fish that no one wanted. Marseille fisherman first created it as a stew comprising of bony rockfish which couldn’t be sold to markets or restaurants. Today it’s a cornucopia of delicious seafood, and has become a classic. 

Easy bouillabaisse

Serves: 6 - 8
Cooking Time: 30 - 40 mins

Ingredients

  • 45ml (3 tbsp) olive or avocado oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 2 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
  • 3 celery sticks, trimmed and diced
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
  • 15ml (1 tbsp) flour
  • a pinch of saffron
  • 2 x 410g tins whole peeled tomatoes
  • 500ml (2 cups) fish or chicken stock
  • a bouquet garni of thyme, parsley and 2 bay leaves
  • 16 prawns, cleaned
  • 24 mussels, cleaned
  • 500g hake medallions
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • fresh crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

1

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, leeks, celery and fennel, and fry for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, without browning the vegetables.

2

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, allowing it to absorb excess oil. Add the saffron, tinned tomatoes, stock and bouquet garni, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

3

Add the prawns, mussels and hake. Season, cover and simmer very gently until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, about 10 – 12 minutes.

4

Remove the bouquet garni and serve with crusty bread.

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