Do you know what differentiates French Cuisine from the rest of the world? It is its precision, rich ingredients and the aptitude of considering cooking an art. Quick fix does not exist in the French culinary community. It is an art and art should be for art’s sake and no other! Be patient with us as we cook this delicious and much popular traditional seafood stew from the heart of France. This Bouillabaise recipe involves a variety of crustaceans in an aromatic fish stock, flavored with saffron, thyme and fresh black pepper! While cooking Bouillabaisse, you’ll need to boil each fish separately and process before the final dish is broiling on the stove. Hmm…yum!
Bouillabaisse
Time taken: 45 min
Taste-o-meter: Savoury
Ingredients:
- Lobsters (large): 3
- Olive oil: 1 tbsp
- Onion (chopped): 2 cups
- Celery (chopped): 2 cups
- Carrot (chopped): 1 cup
- Cloves (minced): 4
- Tomato (chopped): 3 cups
- Saffron threads: ½ tsp
- Thyme (dried): ½ tsp
- Black pepper: ½ tsp
- Bay leaves: 2
- Lean white fish (cut into 2” squares): 1 pound
- Small-sized clams (scrubbed): 20-22
- Small mussels (scrubbed): 30
- Shrimps (peeled and deveined): ½ pound
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Water: about 8 cups
Method:
- Bring water to boil, dunk-in the lobsters (heads first). Simmer and cook or until just done (4 min). Take out, cut into 1” pieces, remove meat from claws and tail and refrigerate. Reserve the water. Do not drain.
- In the same broth, add the lobster shells and keep it boiling. After about 15 min, discard the shells and save the broth.
- In a pan, heat olive oil. Add the chopped veggies except the tomato, and sauté for atleast 5-6 min. Add the broth, tomatoes, salt, salt, saffron, thyme, pepper and bay leaves. Bring it to a boil.
- Add lean, white fish meat, cook for 4 min, add mussels and clams and cook for another 5 min. Now, add the shrimps and give it a final boil. Lastly, add the lobster meat and simmer for 5 min.
- Before serving, discard unopened shells and bay leaves.
Now, honestly, bon appetit!