Creole Bouillabaisse ▶
Although every country has its seafood soup, none is more famous than the bouillabaisse of France. Today we tend to place it on a culinary pedestal, forgetting that it began as a simple fisherman’s stew. Traditionally it was composed of a fish broth flavored by onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, and saffron, to which was added the fish from the day’s catch that could not be sold. The seafood was then quickly cooked (bouiller, to boil, baisser, to turn down). Standard accompaniments were and still are French bread and rouille, a fiery garlic-chili sauce.
Chef Jamie Shannon’s Creole bouillabaisse incorporates a chili in the broth, and his assortment of seafood includes shellfish, trout, and his own signature seafood sausage. This dish is a meal in itself, needing only garlic bread, a salad, and a bottle of French rose, Beaujolais, or Riesling. If you’re pressed for time, omit the seafood sausage. But at some point do try it, because it adds a new dimension.
Ingredients
- Broth Base
- Olive Oil - 1/2 cup
- Garlic - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Gumbo Crabs (small blue crabs) - 4
- Shrimp Shells - 1/2 pound, fresh, not frozen, and shrimp heads
- Jalapeno Chilies - 1, seeded and minced
- Celery - 4 stalks, no leaves, coarsely chopped
- Carrots - 2, peeled and coarsely chopped
- Leeks - 3, split, cleaned, and coarsely chopped
- Red Bell Peppers - 3, seeded, deribbed, and coarsely chopped
- White Onions - 4 large, coarsely chopped
- Tomatoes - 6, ripe
- Fish Stock - 2 quarts (alt. 1 quart water and 1 quart white wine)
- Thyme - 2 fresh sprigs
- Basil leaves - 8, stemmed and coarsely chopped
- Pinch of saffron
- Bouillabaisse
- Olive oil - 1/2 cup
- Garlic - 3 tablespoons, minced
- Mussels - 24, scrubbed and debearded
- Seafood Sausage - 8 slices (recipe follows)
- Boneless Trout - 1, 9-ounce, cut into 8 pieces (alt. sheepshead fillet)
- Dry White Wine - 3/4 cup
- Broth base (above) - 8 cups
- Oysters - 24, medium, shucked
- Leeks - 2, split, cleaned, and julienned
- Tomatoes - 2, peeled and chopped
- Carrot - 1, peeled and chopped
- Red Bell Pepper - 1, seeded, deribbed, and julienned
- Red Potatoes - 8, quartered and blanched for 4 to 5 minutes
- Jumbo Shrimp - 24, peeled, tails left on
- Crab Fingers - 1 pound (the small pincer from the first joint of the crab claw)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parsley - 1/4 cup, chopped, fresh, for garnish
- Seafood Sausage
- Shrimp, crawfish, crab meat, or fish pieces, or a combination - 1 pound
- Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Celery - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Bell Pepper - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Garlic - 1/2 tablespoon, minced
- Andouille Sausage - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Salt - 3 tablespoons
- Freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
- Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
- Red Pepper Flakes - 1/2 teaspoon, dried
- Paprika - 1/2 teaspoon
- Eggs - 2
- Water - 2 tablespoons
Instructions
To make the broth base: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic until brown. Add the crabs and the shrimp shells, and saute over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add all the vegetables and continue to saute until tender, about 20 minutes. Add the stock or water and wine, herbs, and saffron, and simmer for 1 hour. Puree in batches and strain. This may be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and stored in the refrigerator.
To make bouillabaisse: In a large casserole, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat and saute garlic until browned, about 1 minute. Add the mussels, shrimp, seafood sausage, and fish, and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned juices. Add 8 cups of base and bring to a boil. In a medium saute pan or skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat and saute the vegetables until tender. Add the oysters and crab fingers to the broth and seafood mixture. Add the sauteed vegetables to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the hot bouillabaisse into large serving bowls, distributing the fish and shellfish, and top with parsley.
Seafood Sausage
Chop the fish and/or shellfish into small cubes and place in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in all of the rest of the ingredients. Cut a large piece of plastic and place the seafood mixture on it. Shape the mixture into a long cylinder and roll the plastic around it tightly; seal the ends. Bring a large pot of water to 180 F. Place the sausage into the water and cook at simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool for 10 minutes. To serve, remove the plastic and slice. The sausage may be served as a first course with Creole mustard or used in Creole Bouillabaisse.
