Bouillabaisse Provençal Fish Stew (Printable)

Hearty Provençal fish stew with saffron, herbs, and garlicky rouille, served with toasted baguette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish & Seafood

01 - 14 oz firm white fish fillets (e.g., monkfish, sea bass), cut into chunks
02 - 10.5 oz oily fish fillets (e.g., red mullet), cut into chunks
03 - 10.5 oz mussels, cleaned and debearded
04 - 7 oz small shrimp, peeled and deveined
05 - 6 large sea scallops (optional)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 large onion, finely sliced
08 - 1 large leek (white part only), thinly sliced
09 - 2 fennel bulbs, sliced
10 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
12 - 1 large carrot, sliced
13 - Zest of 1 orange
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 2 sprigs thyme
16 - 1 sprig fresh parsley (plus extra for garnish)
17 - 1/2 tsp saffron threads
18 - 1 tsp fennel seeds
19 - 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
20 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Liquids

21 - 3/4 cup dry white wine
22 - 6 1/4 cups fish stock or water

→ Rouille

23 - 1 egg yolk
24 - 1 garlic clove, minced
25 - 1 small red chili, seeded and chopped
26 - 1/2 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water
27 - 3.5 fl oz olive oil
28 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
29 - Salt, to taste

→ To Serve

30 - 1 small baguette, sliced and toasted
31 - Extra olive oil, for drizzling

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 8–10 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Stir in tomatoes, orange zest, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, saffron threads, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes to release aromas.
03 - Pour in white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add fish stock or water and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to develop flavors.
04 - Strain the broth through a fine sieve, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor. Discard solids and return broth to the cleaned pot.
05 - Bring broth to a gentle simmer. Add firm white fish pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Then add oily fish, mussels, shrimp, and scallops (if using). Simmer for another 5–6 minutes until seafood is cooked and mussels open. Discard unopened mussels and adjust seasoning.
06 - In a bowl, combine egg yolk, garlic, chili, saffron with soaking water, and mustard. Whisk until smooth then gradually drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly until a thick, mayonnaise-like sauce forms. Season with salt.
07 - Ladle the stew into warm bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil and a generous spoonful of rouille on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering it all day, but comes together in just over an hour.
  • The rouille transforms from intimidating to effortless once you understand it's basically a saffron-spiked mayonnaise.
  • One pot means one pot to clean, and the house smells like a Provençal dream the whole time you're cooking.
02 -
  • Never crowd the pot when adding seafood; give each piece room to cook gently or you'll end up with rubbery fish instead of tender flakes.
  • The rouille is easier than mayonnaise because you're whisking by hand and the saffron gives it structure; if it breaks, whisk an egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly add your broken rouille back in to rescue it.
  • Unopened mussels after cooking should be discarded without hesitation; they're not worth the risk and often indicate they were already compromised.
03 -
  • Don't skip straining the broth; that extra step transforms it from good to restaurant-quality by removing all the vegetable pieces and letting the saffron color sing without distraction.
  • Toast your baguette slices with just a brush of olive oil rather than oil on both sides; they should be crisp on the outside but still have some chew, perfect for soaking up broth.
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