Seafood Stew With Saffron And Rouille Recipes

BOUILLABAISSE

Steps:

• Add saffron to sherry set aside.
• Cut fish into bite size pieces.
• Scrub clams and mussels.
• In a large stock pot heat oil. Saute onions, shallots, carrot, fennel, and garlic in oil on low heat until lightly golden.
• Add all liquids and seasonings including the saffron infused sherry.
• Bring to just a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add all seafood adding squid last, mix and simmer 10 minutes.
• Serve hot in large bowls.
• Top with garnishes.
• Serve with crusty bread, and a tossed salad.

FABULOUS FISH STEW

Steps:

• It's worth trying to get hold of saffron for this one - it's available from most delis and good supermarkets. It's not cheap, but bear in mind you won't need much at all to spice up a dish. Make sure you use a wide pan so all the fish is in contact with the tomatoey broth. If you haven't got one, try using a high-sided roasting tray instead, with another tray as a lid.
• To make the saffron aïoli, smash a clove of garlic, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, and the saffron (if using) with a small pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar or a Flavour Shaker™ until it turns into a mush. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise and pound again. Stir in the rest of the mayo. Taste and season with a little more lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Give the mussels and clams a good wash in plenty of clean cold water and scrub any dirty ones lightly with a scrubbing brush, pulling off any beardy bits. If there are any that aren't tightly closed, give them a sharp tap. If they don't close up, throw them away.
• Heat a large, wide saucepan or stewing pot and pour in a splash of olive oil. Slice up the rest of the garlic and fry it in the oil until lightly golden. Add the wine and the tomatoes and the basil stalks and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a little.
• Add all your fish and shellfish in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Push the fish down into the liquid and put the lid on. Cook gently for about 10 minutes or until all the clams and mussels have opened and the fish fillets and langoustines or prawns are cooked through. (Discard any clams or mussels that don't open.)
• Toast the bread on a hot griddle pan and get out the serving bowls. Put a piece of toast in each bowl and ladle the soup over the top, making sure the fish is divided more or less evenly. Top each bowl with some fennel tops, basil leaves, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a big blob of saffron aïoli.

BOUILLABAISSE WITH ROUILLE (FRENCH FISH STEW)

Steps:

• Bouillabaisse: Pull out a large soup pot, heat the olive oil in it over medium heat. Add in the leeks and onions and saute for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. Once soft, add in the garlic, bay leaves, carrots and quite a few rounds of freshly ground black pepper. Leave that to saute for about another 5-10 minutes.
• Stir the potatoes into the pot along with the fennel seed, orange peel, thyme and marjoram. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add in the stock or clam juice and water. Add in the tomatoes and squeeze in the juice from the lemon (watch no lemon pits fall in). Simmer for about 15 minutes, at which time the carrots should be tender and the potatoes cooked, but still firm.
• This is a good point to make the Rouille (and toasted bread if you are using), while the broth simmers, so skip ahead to that step if you haven't already.
• Add in the fish (not the shellfish yet), as well as the saffron and parsley and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the shellfish and cook until shells open up (ie with mussels and clams), and the prawns are pink and firm. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt and get ready to serve ASAP.
• Rouille: Mix together the bread crumbs, parmesan and cayenne. Add the water and blend into a paste. Stir in the basil, parsley and olive oil. Rouille should be hot and flavourful so add more hot spice if you like.
• As soon as the seafood is done, remove the bay leaves and orange peel, then ladle into warm bowls and serve with a spoonful of rouille on top and bread on the side. Alternatively, top each bowl with slices of toasted french bread topped with rouille.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH GARLIC ROUILLE CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the seafood stock: Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, fennel, garlic, leeks and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the ketchup, rosemary, thyme, and the crab and lobster shells and stir. Add the peppercorns and 16 cups (4 liters) water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the stock into a smaller saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by two-thirds, about 45 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
• For the roasted leeks and mushrooms: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes more. Add the roasted peppers (along with any of their juices) and a ladle of seafood stock. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• For the rouille croutons: Soak 2 thick slices bread in the seafood stock. Squeeze out the liquid and add the bread to the food processor along with the garlic, chile and egg yolk. Buzz it up. Slowly add the olive oil while processing until a smooth paste forms. Add a little of the seafood stock if the rouille begins to split. Season with salt and pepper. Toast the remaining 4 to 6 slices bread (one for each serving) in a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Set aside.
• For the seafood stew: Return the seafood stock to a simmer and add the clams. Cook until they start to open, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and cook until they open, another 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and lobster meat and simmer for 2 minutes. Before serving, add the peas to the leeks-mushroom mixture to warm them up. Spread the rouille on the toasted bread. Divide the leek-mushroom mixture among bowls, top with the crab meat, and then the seafood stew. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with a live scallop on the shell and sprinkle with chervil. Serve the rouille croutons on the side.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH SAFFRON AND ROUILLE

Steps:

• Make the rouille. Preheat broiler. Cut the pepper into thick strips and place them face down on foil paper on a broiling rack. Broil until the skins are charred. Place in a closed paper bag for a few minutes, then peel off the skin.
• Put the pepper strips in the jar of a blender with bread crumbs, egg yolks and the garlic. Puree. Very gradually, little by little, add the olive oil until you have a thick, mayonaise-like sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes on to boil. Rinse the leeks, slice them and rinse the slices carefully to remove any traces of grit.
• Bring the wine to boil, add the saffron and set aside. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy casserole and soften the leeks with the garlic. When soft, add the tomatoes, thyme and the saffron-white wine mixture. Cover and allow to simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, adding a little water or wine if it gets dry.
• Meanwhile, debeard the mussels and wash them thoroughly, discarding any that are open and refuse to close when tapped, or that are broken. Place the shrimp in a small bowl of cold water and add salt.
• Rinse the shrimp. Add the mussels, shrimp and scallops to the casserole. Cook until the mussels have opened (three to four minutes). Serve the stew in soup bowls, ladling on the sauce. Serve the potatoes and the rouille separately.

FRENCH ROUILLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the water, vinegar, and saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds. Mix well until you have a very yellow liquid.
• Cut the white bread into chunks, place in a large bowl, and pour the saffron mixture over. Mix well.
• Put the bread mixture in a food processor and add the garlic, egg yolks, and chili powder. Blend for about 30 seconds; scrape down the sides.
• While slowly drizzling in the olive oil, blend on low power just until mixed. Season with salt.
• Spoon the sauce, which should be like thick mayonnaise, into a bowl and serve immediately. You can also refrigerate until chilled if you prefer it cold.
• Serve alongside fish and enjoy.

PROVENCAL FISH STEW WITH ROUILLE

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, garlic, and cayenne in small bowl. Cover and chill rouille. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)
• Place fennel fronds, thyme sprigs, and orange peel on large square of 2 layers of moistened cheesecloth. Gather cheesecloth and tie securely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel bulb and leek and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add wine and saffron; bring to boil. Add broth and bouquet garni; return to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes. Add fish and simmer until opaque in center, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Brush baguette slices with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Spread rouille on toasts. Ladle stew into wide soup bowls, top with toasts, and serve.