Lunch: Bouillabaisse

Recipe by /contributors/david-kamen This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mediterranean classics, check out the video cla

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1 bulb fennel, stems trimmed, cored and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, diced
1 1/2 quarts fish stock
1 bouquet garni (see Cook's note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds assorted seafood (firm white fish such as monkfish or bass, and shrimp, mussels, cockles, or lobster), cleaned and cut into bite-size chunks
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chervil, chopped
Garlic and Saffron Mayonnaise (Rouille) , for serving

Instructions

In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the fennel, onions, and leeks and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to tenderize, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and garlic, re-cover the pot, and continue cooking until the tomatoes begin to break down, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, cayenne, saffron, potatoes, fish stock, and bouquet garni. Season with salt and pepper and bring the liquid up to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the seafood in order of firmness and cooking time, with the denser fillets of fish going into the pot first, followed by shellfish and then shrimp. Simmer the soup, stirring very minimally to preserve the whole pieces of seafood, until the shellfish have opened and fish fillets have cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes total, depending on the seafood being used.
To serve, remove and discard the bouquet garni. Carefully remove the fish and shellfish, arranging them on a large serving platter or in warm bowls. Ladle the broth and potatoes over fish and garnish with the herbs. Serve warm.

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