Blackbird Bouillabaisse
Why I Love This Recipe
This bouillabaisse is one that is popular on the restaurant's lunch menu. It's beautifully aromatic thanks to the fresh notes of citrus and fennel. The rich color is as a result of just a pinch of saffron and tomatoes. But the best part of this dish is the seafood. A flavorful fish fumet (fish stock) adds elevated seafood notes and the fresh seafood added towards the end of the dish just puts it over the edge. This is one soup that's easily a meal and is wonderful to enjoy during these cooler months.
Ingredients You'll Need
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
15 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onions, peeled & julienned
2 bulbs of fennel, julienned
3 pounds red new potatoes, sliced into coins
1 bay leaf
1 pinch saffron
1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes, drained of half of liquid and crushed
1 gallon fish stock or fish fumet, brought to a simmer
1 lb white fish of your choice (cod, tilapia, sole, halibut, etc)
20 littleneck clams
2 pounds mussels
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 pound cooked king crab legs
1 cup Pernot (pastis)
2 tablespoons Siracha
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped
Directions
In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, fennel, potatoes and bay leaf; stir to coat.
Cover and cook over medium low heat until the potatoes begin to soften, approximately 15 minutes.
Turn heat to high and stir in saffron and tomatoes; cook for 5 minutes.
Add the fish stock or fish fumet. Continue to cook over high heat until the potatoes are tender.
Add the clams. Followed by the mussels after 3 minutes, followed by the fish after another 1 minutes, followed by the shrimp after 1 minute and the crab legs just before serving.
Finish the dish with Pernot and siracha, and season with fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
