A long the Cote d’Azur one comes across
many versions of the traditional Marseilles
bouillabaisse, some outstanding and some just
awful. It is quite a tiresome process to make the
old-fashioned way, so when I had my cookery
school, I devised this recipe which became an alltime
favourite in my catering business and at the
restaurant that I ran on a wine farm outside Cape
Town.
THE SOUP
■ In a large pan add 30ml olive oil, 1 large
chopped onion, 200g chopped tomato
flesh, (skin and deseed the tomatoes)
grated zest of one orange.
■ Cook gently without colour until the onions
are transparent.
■ Off the heat stir in 15ml tomato paste and
25g plain flour.
■ Stir in 1L fish stock, 250ml white wine,
the juice of 1 orange, 1 bay leaf, dash
of cayenne pepper and a few strands of
saffron, 5ml freshly chopped marjoram
and seasoning.
■ Bring to simmering point.
■ Add 1kg mixed diced fish, cod, sole,
hake, salmon, sea bream, 100g shelled
deveined prawns and 125ml cream.
■ Bring to simmering point and serve sprinkled
with freshly chopped chives.
FISH STOCK
Can be bought, however, you can make it too.
■ 1kg fish bones, 30g butter, 1 onion
peeled and chopped in a pan.
■ Cover with greaseproof paper and cook
slowly without colour.
■ Remove the paper add 2L of cold water,
1 bay leaf, juice of half a lemon, 250ml
white wine, parsley stalks, seasoning
and simmer for 30 minutes, strain and use
as required.
ROUILLE
■ Bouillabaisse is usually served with bowls
of Rouille a rich spicy red pepper and
garlic paste which you spread onto slices
of baguette or crispy toasts and float in the
soup.
■ Blend until smooth 2 grilled red peppers,
skinned and deseeded, 2 cloves of
garlic, crushed, ¼ cup of fresh white
breadcrumbs, 1 egg yolk, pinch of
cayenne and saffron, zest and juice of
1 lemon, 50ml olive oil.