"bouillabaisse" news and stories

Happy National Bouillabaisse Day!

Dubbed the Prince of Gastronomy for his 20th century culinary writings, Curnonsky commended bouillabaisse as "an incomparable golden soup which embodies and concentrates all the aromas of our shores, and which permeates, like an ecstasy, the stomachs of astonished gastronomes... The miracle consists of this: There are as many bouillabaisses as there are good chefs or cordon bleus. Each brings his own version his special touch."

Once the humble fare of local French fisherman, who would stretch their extra catch with a nourishing stew, bouillabaisse has long been on menus stateside, using a variety of local fish and shellfish depending on local availability. The traditional seafood stew from Provence would use whatever fresh catch was in abundance, typically a combination of at least four types of fish and shellfish, creating a hearty broth with white wine, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, onions, saffron and other herbs.

For a classic rendition, we recommend Julia Child's bouillabaisse, to be served with fresh French bread and rouille.

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Bouillabaisse is a traditional (and inherently fancy-sounding) fish and seafood stew prominent in the Provençal region of southern France, a culinary classic from the seaside city of Marseille. The best bouillabaisse is made with only the freshest seafood, but since we're playing by our own rules and only source ingredients from the realm of fast food, we'll go to the chain that labels their food as such (even if it's inspired by Mexico and not France): Baja Fresh. Using their sea-faring fast food fare, we're going to boil up a "Baja Bouillabaisse" that will not only appease the Fancy Fast Food kitchen's penchant for alliterations, but be candy for the eyes -- and maybe even tantalize a taste bud or two, if you can believe that.

Read on for the "recipe" for Baja Bouillabaisse after the jump...

Happy National Bouillabaisse Day!

For those unfamiliar with the complex dish, it's a highly seasoned stew built upon the use of multiple types of fish and shellfish. According to lore, hearty bouillabaisse was once served by Venus to her husband, to tire him out so she could freely consort with Mars. Although the dish originated as simple fisherman's stew, with the day's catch boiled in salt water, today's Provincial bouillabaisse is know for its delicate flavor palate, including saffron, fennel seeds and orange zest. Its name is derived from French words indicating the dish's necessity of boiling to extract plenty of flavor from its contents.

Here, Flickr user Schatzibot captured the Petite Bouillabaisse with Green Garlic Aïoli, Washington Mussels, and Trout Roe from Portland restaurant Beast, writing, "We thought it was a heavenly soup course, the creamy aïoli perfectly balancing the salt of the bouillabaisse."

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The New York Times' "Recipes for Health" - a regular series of ultra-nutritious, usually veggie-heavy recipes in the Health section - are pretty hit or miss, in my opinion. But this week's recipe, which subs potatoes for seafood in a traditional French bouillabaisse, looks awesome. Potatoes, leeks, onions and poached eggs float in a rich, silky broth of tomato and saffron, served with crispy homemade croutons.

Potatoes, as the article points out, got a bad rap during the low-carb years. But skin-on potatoes are full of B vitamins, vitamin C, fiber, potassium and complex carbs. Plus, a 7-ounce potato with the skin has only 220 calories and zero grams of fat. Add vitamin C-rich tomatoes, protein-packed eggs and phytonutrient-filled onions and garlic, and you've got all kinds of goodness.

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