New Orleans Style Bouillabaisse Recipes

BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• For the shrimp stock: In a large saucepan over high heat, heat the oil until almost smoking. Add the shrimp shells and tails, onion, carrot and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, then add 10 cups of cold water, the tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, skimming the surface occasionally, for 40 minutes.
• Strain the stock through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. The stock can be made 2 days in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator, or frozen up to 3 months.
• For the tomato aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, anchovies, tomato powder, tomato paste, green onion, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• For the broth: Heat the oil in a large, high-sided saute pan over high heat and cook the fennel and onion until they begin to soften. Add the pastis and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, saffron, chile flakes and 2 cups of the shrimp stock. Bring to a boil, add the garlic and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add 4 more cups of shrimp stock, reduce the heat and cook until the flavors meld and the broth reduces slightly, about 20 minutes. Strain the shrimp-tomato broth into a large bowl, discard the solids, pour the liquid back into the high-sided saute pan and set aside.
• For the anchovy butter: Put the anchovies and butter in a bowl and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 20 minutes.
• For the seafood: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear the scallops on one side until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then turn over and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to a baking sheet.
• Add another tablespoon of the oil to the pan and season both sides of the halibut fillets with salt and pepper. Sear on one side until golden brown, then turn over and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to the baking sheet with the scallops.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the large saute pan, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and sear until the shells become lightly golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of the reserved shrimp-tomato broth. Transfer the liquid to the remaining shrimp-tomato broth in the high-sided saute pan.
• Heat the shrimp-tomato broth over high heat. Add the mussels, cover and cook until they open, about 2 minutes. Remove the mussels to the baking sheet with a slotted spoon and discard any that did not open.
• Add the seared seafood and lobster tails to the shrimp-tomato broth, cover and let cook for 2 minutes.
• To serve: Add the anchovy butter to the broth and cook until thickened; stir in the parsley, tarragon and lemon zest. Top each baguette slice with a large dollop of tomato aioli and garnish with chives. Divide the seafood and broth among 6 large, slightly shallow soup bowls. Top each with a tomato aioli crouton and garnish with more parsley or tarragon or chives, if desired.

MARK BITTMAN'S BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees; brush bread liberally with olive oil, and bake on a sheet, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Add enough olive oil to a Dutch oven, deep skillet or shallow pot to make a thick layer (don't skimp) on the bottom. In it, cook onion, garlic, celery, carrot, potato, fennel and saffron until glossy. Add stock and tomato and bring to a moderate boil; cook until thick and stewy rather than soupy. Season to taste; it should be so delicious that you don't even care whether you add fish.
• Lower heat to a simmer, and, as you add fish, adjust heat so that the liquid continues to bubble gently. Add fish in order of how long they will take to cook. Monkfish, striped bass and squid are fish that might require more than a few minutes, so add them first. About five minutes later add clams and mussels, holding back any fish that has been cooked or will cook in a flash. When mollusks open, add remaining fish. Cut scallops into quarters and place in the bottom of 4 bowls.
• Add pastis if you're using it; taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle hot soup and fish over the scallops, distributing clams and mussels evenly. Garnish and serve with croutons and rouille, if you're using.

BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, and add the onions, leeks, chopped tomatoes, and garlic. Cook and stir over a low heat for a few minutes until all vegetables are soft.
• Stir in the fennel, thyme, bay leaf, and orange zest. Add shellfish and boiling water; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Turn up the heat to high, and boil for about 3 minutes to allow the oil and water to combine.
• Add fish, and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked. The fish should be opaque and tender, but still firm. Fish should not be falling apart.
• Taste the bouillabaisse and adjust the seasoning. Stir in saffron, and then pour soup into a warmed tureen or soup dishes. Serve immediately.

LATINA-STYLE BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• Cook bacon and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a very large skillet over high heat, stirring frequently for 4 minutes. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, habenero, saffron, and sherry. Let reduce by half.
• Add evaporated milk to skillet and continue to let mixture cook until reduced by half. Add chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, carefully transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour blended mixture into a large saucepan; add seafood stock. Cook over medium-high heat until heated through.
• Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add clams, scallops, and jumbo shrimp; cook for 2 minutes. Add extra-large shrimp, snapper, mussels, and heated seafood stock mixture. Cook until shrimp is pink and shellfish have opened. Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately garnished with cilantro sprigs.

BOUILLABAISSE NEW ORLEANS

Steps:

• MARINATE SEA BASS FOR 2 HOURS: Cut sea bass into serving pieces...not too small...and place in a flat glass dish. Brush fish with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and "sprinkle" with dried thyme and crushed bay leaves. Turn fish over and repeat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 2 hours or longer in refrigerator. DIRECTIONS: To start making the stock, place red snapper, 8 cups water, and 1 bottle of clam juice in a GIANT pot. Boil 45 minutes. Drain and place liquid back into pot. (Snapper can be deboned and added back into stock, if you wish...but there's more than enough seafood without it.) Add 1/2 cup olive oil to stock. Add lemon juice, minced onions, parsley, cilantro, minced garlic, tomatoes, and green pepper. Add salt to taste and simmer (partially covered) for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent any sticking. This part can be made earlier in the day and let stand. BEFORE SERVING: (Allow 35 or so minutes before sitting down...) Reheat broth, if necessary. Add sea bass, removing some of the bay leaves. Add clams, scallops, crabmeat, shrimp, lobster tails, and pimiento. (Add the 4th bottle of clam juice if more broth is needed.) Let simmer-not boil-until seafood is done and clam shells are open...15-20 minutes. DISSOLVE 1/8+ rounded teaspoon saffron in 1/4 cup white wine. Add to pot of seafood. Stir gently to distribute seasonings. Right before serving, stir in remaining 1/2 cup white wine. Can let "stand" under extremely low heat (set pot half-off heat source), partially covered. Place in large bowl with ladle and tongs or let guests help themselves directly from the pot. I freeze any leftover Bouillabaisse broth after removing all shells and discarding any leftover clams. Then all I have to do is buy more shellfish (clams, shrimp, lobster) to add to the defrosted broth when I want an effortless gourmet dinner.

COMMANDER'S PALACE CREOLE BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• To make the broth base: Heat olive oil in a large pot; saute the garlic until golden.
• Add the crab and shrimp shells; saute for ten minutes.
• Add the rest of the vegetables and cook until tender, about 20 mintues.
• Add stock or water and wine, herbs and saffron; simmer for an hour.
• Puree in batches and strain.
• To make the bouillabaisse: In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat and saute garlic until golden.
• Add mussels, shrimp, seafood sausage and fish; cook for about five minutes.
• Pour in the whie wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits.
• Add 8 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.
• In a medium pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute the vegetables until tender.
• Add oysters and crab meat to the broth and seafood mixture.
• Add sauteed vegetables to the mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.