Bouillabaisse (french seafood feast)

1 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
2Live lobsters
poundsSnapper fillets
1poundsStriped bass
1poundsSmoked eel
2Carrots
2White onions
3tablespoonsOlive oil
2teaspoonsGarlic, minced salt and cayenne
¼cupBrandy
½cupDry white wine
1Bay leaf
1Crushed clove garlic
1teaspoonTomato paste blanched potato, sliced saffron bread
2Doz mussels
poundsSpanish mackerel
1poundsCod steaks
4Leeks
1Celery heart
1Fennel root
2tablespoonsButter
1teaspoonGrated orange rind dash ground cloves sliced onion, celery, carrot, leek
2cupsWater a few peppercorns
2teaspoonsPotato flour
1poundsTomatoes, thinly sliced eggs (1 per serving)

Directions

Dice the leeks, carrots, celery heart, onions and fennel finely and evenly. Heat in pan olive oil and butter and add vegetables, minced garlic and the grated orange rind and season with salt, cayenne pepper, a pinch of ground cloves. Cover pan and cook very slowly without browning for 2 to 3 minutes. Split the live lobsters, remove bags and veins, claws and feet. Put lobsters in pan shell- side down, cover and cook 2½ minutes. Flame with the brandy. Cover the lobsters and cook 2 or 3 minutes more. Set aside. Put mussels in pan with a little sliced onion, carrots, celery and leek, the dry wine and water, the bay leaf, peppercorns, a little salt and the crushed garlic clove. Cover the pan, bring slowly to boil, reduce heat and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until mussels are well opened. Strain liquid into a bowl. Mix in another bowl the potato flour and 2 tbs cold water, blend in tomato paste and mix all this into the strained mussel liquid. Pour the mixture over the lobsters. Cut all the fish into chucks, leaving in the bone, and add to the lobster with the tomatoes. Bring the mixture slowly to a gentile boil. Put in the sliced blanched potatoes (1 slice per serving), cover pan and simmer very gently 15 to 20 minutes only. Before serving, arrange in a big pot with the potato slices and eggs, poached in the simmering liquid around the edge. Surround with 1" thick slices of French bread which has been fried in olive oil mixed with 3 tsp Spanish saffron and ½ tsp garlic, until they are nicely brown on each side.