Bouillabaisse marseillaise – saffron fish stew with rouille

The saffron broth

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Sweat the onions, fennel, leek and garlic over medium heat for 10 minutes until translucent, without taking on colour. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, orange peel, bay and thyme, let them roast briefly, then stir in the fish bones and heads. Pour in the water, add the saffron and let everything simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain the broth through a sieve and press the bones firmly.

Cook the potatoes

Return the strained broth to the pot and season. Add the potato slices and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until soft but not falling apart. Set aside one potato slice for the rouille.

Make the rouille

Crush the garlic with saffron, Piment d'Espelette and a little salt in a mortar to a paste. Stir in the egg yolk and the reserved cooked potato, then work in the olive oil little by little until a thick, bright orange cream forms. Loosen with a spoonful of hot broth until smooth.

Poach the fish

Bring the broth to a gentle simmer. First add the firm pieces of fish such as monkfish and gurnard and let them steep for 8 minutes, then add the more delicate pieces and poach gently for a further 4 minutes until the flesh is just firm. Take the pot off the heat — the fish should stay juicy.

Plate & serve

Toast the baguette slices and spread them with rouille. Traditionally serve the broth first with the rouille croûtons, then the fish and potatoes on a platter — or everything together in deep bowls. Generous, fragrant, made for sharing.