Bouillabaisse / супа Булабезе

Perhaps the most famous of all Mediterranean fish soups, this recipe, originating from Marseilles, is a rich and colourful mixture of fish and shellfish, flavoured with tomatoes, saffron, orange and splash of anise-flavoured liquor.

Bouillabaisse 

4-6 serves

1 ½ lb fish fillets; monkfish, red snapper

8 mussels

8 clams

8 scallops

12 jumbo shrimp

1 fennel bulb, sliced

1 leek, sliced

1celery stalk, sliced

2-3 cloves garlic

2 oz olive oil

8 oz well-flavoured tomatoes

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup clams nectar*

1 tbsp orange peel

a pinch of saffron strands

2 teaspoons Pernod or other anise-flavoured liquor (optional)

S&P

*Cook’s tip

You can buy whole fish and instead using clams nectar, just remove head, tail, and fins from the fish and set the fish aside. Put the trimmings in deep pan whit 16 oz water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain and reserve the liquid.

Cut the fish into large chunks. Leave the shellfish in their shells.

Scald the tomatoes:

 Pour the tomatoes with boiling water and cover with lid for 4-5 minutes; after this procedure they are ready to be peeled very easily.

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the leak, fennel, celery, and garlic cook until soft. Add the orange peel and chopped tomatoes. Stir in saffron and reserved fish stock or clam nectar, and tomato paste.  Season with S&P and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Add the shellfish and boil for 5 minutes. Add the fish and cook for 6-8 minutes longer, until it flakes easily.