Bouillabaisse

 Been having so much fun at the NYIGF (NY International Gift Fair)... looking at all the amazing housewares and tabletop designs! Thought I'd repost this as I am so busy feasting on the artistry at the fair! PLUS I was so inspired by all the dishes one could serve Bouillabaisse in!
AND, I'll have to post about a Tuscan Steak Dinner soon as I saw some AMAZING flatware and steak knives! So check back! Makes me hungry for more entertaining experiences!

For now, enjoy the post below and please be in touch! 

  
 As always, xxoo Shelia

A bowl of my Bouillabaisse, photo taken by me.

Long before I ever went to France, I had eaten Bouillabaisse. It was probably at one of the super authentic French restaurants in New York in the early 70’s.  And it was to die for. Armed with the aid of Julia Child’s, my ever present companion in the kitchen, or in bed for night-time reading, I made my first bouillabaisse.

It was in our first apartment that I invited guests to dinner for Bouillabaisse. We sat at a butcher block table (very 70’s) under an iron chandelier, lit with candles- We still have the chandelier and it’s still over the butcher block table in my kitchen.

I decorated the table with a red French Provencal tablecloth and napkins that I bought especially for this dinner ( I was building my table top accessories collection). I also bought oversized white ceramic bowls for the soup. I use them still.

And now I had a little color of the French Mediterranean at my table. Another purchase is a ceramic soup tureen decorated with crustaceans and lobster from a store in New York City called Mayhews.

photos of my ceramic soup tureen, taken by me.

When I finally did get to travel to the Mediterranean, I was very much looking forward to the original bouillabaisse experience in Marseilles, a port city , founded 2600 years ago, located on the southeast coast of France. We were headed for Marseilles on a small yacht when a storm hit. Very unusual, we were told for this particular time of year. The gale force wind was not kidding around. And I was petrified, as we were tossed all around, up and down with waves coming on board. So much for Marseilles, too dangerous to try to anchor. We went on to a more protected  coastal port town of Toulon.  And so much for eating bouillabaisse in the most famous town known for the fish soup. Bouillabaisse is a seafood soup made with various kinds of cooked fish and shellfish. The seasoning is made up of herbs and spices, such as garlic, orange peel, basil, bay leaf, fennel and saffron.

It’s the glorious saffron threads that color and flavor the soup base that takes me over the moon. A dollop of aioli-  garlic mayonnaise, made of raw garlic lemon juice, eggs and olive oil. Or spoonfuls of rouille ( also a mayonnaise base with saffron and cayenne pepper) on croutons with grated gruyere cheese.

 Saffron, is the very expensive spice that the grocer keeps under lock and key. The aroma of the soup is enough to send you to the shores of Marseilles, in one’s very own home.

PS…. Marseille, because of it’s incredible light was a favorite haunt for artists such as, Renoir, Cezanne, Braque and Dufy.

More of my journal entries that featured Bouillabaisse....

Bouillabaisse menu, circa 1972 

Hors d'oeuvres: tiny danish shrimp with anchovy caper sauce
and cucumber salad; Main course: Bouillabaisse; Cheese course and Dessert: Spanish melon,  Gorgonzola and Brie cheeses; chocolate covered poached pears

Comments on this dinner, saved in my guestbook- terrific evening, food delicious, bouillabaisse finished, salad finished. everyone wanted more. Wine and desserts all terrific!

Hors D'ouevres served before Bouillabaisse, journal entry circa 1974: 
Caviar, toast points; tiny Danish shrimp with green mayonnaise; Champagne

                     
                                             

Table setting, from same journal entry: white table cloth, white dinner plates, white soup bowls, plaid lap-naps(these are over-sized napkins ), placed in each wine goblet, Italian green leaf ceramic salad plates.

Main Course and Dessert, from same entry:
Bouillabaisse - fish; striped bass, red snapper, haddock, whiting, sole, mussel, clams, lobster, scallops. Dessert- Chocolate covered poached pears, surrounded by fresh strawberries and wafer cookies. Espresso and Celebration Sherry.

And, another journal entry.... from a recent April...

Our dear friends Marlene and Jerry Brody of Grand Central Oyster Bar and Gallagher's NY Steak House joined us on this special occasion. I always keep a record of the guests who gather at our house and I always have the guest book out to collect guests' comments. It becomes a treasure chest of captured moments that are so fun to look back on, in addition to the journals! And speaking of fish stews, you must try those at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. A must do when in NY!

Sketches in my April journal entry, I always capture the table setting- showing what dishes and utensils are used, the decor and how menu items are plated.

While we started with Bill's favorite cocktail, a Negroni, we served a Sancerre, a delicious white wine to pair with the Bouillabaisse. The recipe for the chocolate covered poached pears(served for dessert and pictured above in my sketch) can be found in my       September 25, 2011 blog entry "Into the Woods."

The platter of fish, shellfish and the soup tureen used for serving my Bouillabaisse. 
Photo by, me.

Below is a Recipe I use from Julia Child, "The French Chef Cookbook"

for Bouillabaisse A La Marseillaise ( Mediterranean Fish Chowder).

This recipe serves 6 to 8 people



The Soup Base: 


1 cup sliced yellow onions
3/4 to 1 cup sliced leeks, white part only; or 1/2 cup more onions
1/2 cup olive oil
A heavy 8-quart casserole
2 to 3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, or 1 1/4 cups drained canned tomatoes, plus 1/4 cup tomato paste
4f cloves mashed garlic


Cook the onions and leeks slowly in the olive oil for 5 minutes without browning. Stir in the tomatoes and garlic, and cook 5 minutes more.


21/2 quarts water
6 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme or basil
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 big pinches of saffron
A 2-inch piece of orange peel
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
3 to 4 pounds fish heads, bones, and trimmings including shellfish remains; or 1 quart fish stock or 1 quart of clam juice and 1 1/2 quarts of water, and no slat.


Add the water, herbs, seasoning, and fish or clam juice to the kettle. Bring to the boil, skim, and cook, uncovered, at the slow boil for 30 to 40 minutes. Strain, correct seasoning. Set aside, uncovered, until cool if you are not finishing the bouillabaisse immediately, then refrigerate.


Cooking the Bouillabaisse:


The soup base
total of 6 to 8 pounds assorted firm and tender fish and shellfish
Slice the fish into thick pieces. Scrub the mussels and clams. Have the fishmonger cut the raw lobster up into pieces.


Bring the soup base to a rapid boil in the pot about 20 minutes before serving. Add the lobsters and firm-fleshed fish. Bring quickly back to the boil and boil rapidly, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Then add the tender-fleshed fish, and the clams, mussels, and scallops. Bring back to the boil again for 5 minutes.


Serving:

A hot platter
A soup tureen 
Rounds of toasted French bread
A bowl of the aoli or rouille
1/3 cup roughly chopped flat leaf parsley


Immediately lift out the fish and arrange on the warmed platter. Taste the soup for seasoning. Ladle the soup into a tureen. Serve immediately.
At the table, each guest helps himself to fish and soup. Eat the bouillabaisse with a large soup spoon and fork, along with additional pieces of French bread. A dry white wine or a light, red wine goes well with the bouillabaisse.




Oh, I just love love love Bouillabaisse and hope you do too!

Gene Wilder and his wife Karen, at our table for Bouillabaisse in 1990.

Gene signed our guest book and told me it was the best Bouillabaisse he ever had!

In my next weeks blog, Thanksgiving.
xxoo, Sheila