Traditional Provençal Fish Soup Bouillabaisse

To make bouillabaisse, start by preparing the fish (sea bass, cod, monkfish): rinse under cold water, pat dry, and cut into larger pieces about 4-5 centimeters in size. Clean the shrimp and scrub the mussels thoroughly, removing the beards. Discard any that are open and do not close when tapped.

Clean the onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and celery stalk and dice them small. Peel the garlic and crush it with the flat side of a knife. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, peel them, and chop coarsely.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the chopped onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and celery. Saute over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables turn translucent and release their aroma, but do not brown.

Add the crushed garlic, tomato paste, and chopped tomatoes. Saute for another 3 minutes until the paste becomes fragrant and its color deepens. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce by about half to cook off the alcohol.

Add the fish bones and heads, then pour in cold water to cover. Add the bay leaf, thyme, parsley, orange peel, saffron, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes, skimming the foam from the surface occasionally.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing the solids well with a ladle to extract as much flavor as possible. Return the broth to the stove and season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk with salt, pressed garlic, saffron, and ground hot paprika into a smooth paste. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil drop by drop while whisking constantly with a whisk or an immersion blender, until a thick emulsion resembling mayonnaise forms.

Season the finished rouille with lemon juice and, if needed, an extra pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brush the baguette slices with olive oil on both sides and toast them in a hot pan or oven until golden, about 3 minutes per side. While still warm, rub them with a cut clove of garlic, which gives the croutons their distinctive aroma.

Bring the strained broth back to a boil. First, add the firmest fish, the monkfish, and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the sea bass and cod, which are more delicate, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Finally, add the shrimp and mussels. Cover the pot and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the mussels open and the shrimp turn pink. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Do not cook the soup any longer, so the fish does not fall apart.

Serve bouillabaisse the traditional way in two stages: first, ladle out the pieces of fish and seafood onto preheated deep plates, then pour the hot aromatic broth over them.

Place the toasted croutons and a bowl of rouille on the side. Each diner then spreads the garlicky saffron rouille on a crouton and drops it into the soup, or uses it to season the soup directly.