- 5 kg fish carcasses. (No oily fish and all blood and gills must be removed) 2 large onions peeled and coarsely diced 3 carrots, peeled and coarsely diced ½ head of celery, coarsely chopped
- The greens from three leeks coarsely chopped. 1 large red chilli, seeds removed and chopped 3 cloves garlic, left whole but smashed with a knife 4 bay leaves
- Olive oil to cover bottom of pan. 440g tin of tomato concentrate 1 bottle dry white wine Optional saffron Pernod or Ricard to serve
Bouillabaisse
Ingredients
Croutons
- Baguette thinly sliced. (5ml), brushed with olive oil and baked until golden brown and completely crisp.
Rouille
- 100 g egg yolk 100 g anchovies 25g garlic 50 g Nando’s extra hot peri peri sauce 50 ml lemon juice 100 g tomato puree 500 ml rapeseed oil] 500 ml olive oil
roast Florentine fennel
- 3 large bulbs of fennel salt, pepper and very good olive oil.
Method
1/ Clean all fish carcasses thoroughly, ideally this should be done as soon as possible after delivery. Cut them up into large sections. The heads can be left whole after the gills are removed.
2/ Sweat the onions, carrots, celery, leek greens, chilli, garlic and bay leaf in the oil over a brisk heat until they are colouring and collapsing.
3/ Add the fish carcasses and sweat for a couple of minutes.
4/ Add the tomato paste and wine. Bring to a boil. Add enough water to completely cover the solids but no more.
5/ Return to a boil, stir and turn the heat down to simmer for about half an hour. You know the soup is ready when the fish heads start to break up. Do not overcook at this stage. Allow to cool for ten minutes.
6/ Drain the soup through a colander. Then pass through a sieve pressing firmly to extract all the liquid.
7/ Return the soup to a clean pan and bring to a boil. Skim and adjust the seasoning. A pinch of saffron can be added here. Do not boil the soup for long or it will taste stewed. A dash of Pernod can be added when you heat the soup up for service.
(Be careful do not overdo it.)
Using cooked crab or lobster shells.
These can be added with the carcasses and will improve the soup providing they are fresh and with no whiff of ammonia.
Rouille
1/ Combine first six ingredients in the Thermomix and work on medium speed until the garlic and anchovies are pureed.
2/ Using the mixer paddle add the oils gradually with the machine running on 4/5.
3/ Alternatively use a food processor.
Roast Florentine fennel
Preheat oven to 200 C / Gas 6.
Cut fennel in half lengthways and remove the outer layer and any damaged bits. Place in a bowl and season with the salt, pepper and a generous tablespoon of olive oil.
Prepare a baking sheet by covering it in non-stick paper, seasoning this with a little more oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the fennel, cut side down on this and bake for thirty to forty minutes.
After twenty minutes check how brown the cut surface is getting, if very brown turn, otherwise leave well alone.
Sea bass
1/ Pan Fry the Bass in a non-stick pan. Add a small ladle of bourride base and a piece of roast fennel then simmer/ boil until fish is cooked.
2/ Carefully spoon out the solids into a heated deep soup bowl. Return the pan to the boil and whisk in one tablespoon of the rouille. The sauce will thicken. Pour over the fish and fennel.
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