Bouillabaisse

🍳 Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add sliced leeks and fennel to the pot.
3. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Do not brown.
4. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
5. Stir tomato paste into the garlic for 30 seconds.
6. Add chopped tomatoes with their juices and the saffron.
7. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until tomatoes soften.
8. Pour in the seafood stock.
9. Nestle in the thyme, bay leaf, and orange peel.
10. Simmer the broth gently for 15–20 minutes.
11. Add the halibut chunks to the simmering broth. Cook for 3–4 minutes.
12. Add the cleaned mussels and clams. Cook for 3–4 minutes.
13. Add scallops and cook for 2–3 minutes.
14. Add shrimp and cook for 2–3 final minutes.
15. Verify all fish is cooked and shellfish have opened.
16. Remove the pot from heat.
17. Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings.
18. Ladle into bowls, ensuring an even mix of seafood.
19. Garnish with chopped parsley.

📝 Recipe Notes & Pro Tips

• Discard closed shellfish : Always throw away any clams or mussels that do not open after cooking.
• Bloom the saffron : Crush saffron into a tablespoon of warm stock before adding it to maximize flavor.
• Traditional pairing: Serve this stew hot alongside a crusty baguette and a traditional garlic-saffron rouille mayonnaise.