Robbie’s Inspiration – Recipes from around the world: French bouillabaisse

It’s been a lovely weekend. The winter seems to be behind us and the daily high is 28 to 30 degrees Celsius. The garden is bursting with spring flowers and my mother has been busy planting her purchases from last weekend.

I made Bouillebaisse, a traditional Provençal fish stew from Marseille, France. My mom loves fish dishes, so this was for her. For dad, I made Durban chicken curry.

Ingredients

1.4 kilograms white fish, I used Hake

500 grams Norwegian salmon

500 grams shelled prawns, uncooked

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1/2 a fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 leeks, finely chopped

olive oil for cooking

15ml orange zest

15ml crushed garlic

5 ml turmeric

Black pepper to taste

7.5 ml thyme

1 bay leaf

6 Roma tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes, chopped

2 cups fish stock

2 cups chicken stock

Method

Heat the oil in a large pot. Fry the onion, fennel and leeks for 5 minutes until soft. Add the orange zest, turmeric, thyme, black pepper, and crushed garlic. Add the tomatoes and allow to simmer for 20 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and become mushy.

Boil the kettle and prepare the stock. Lay the fish pieces skin side up over the vegetables. Pour the stock over the fish and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the fish. Add the prawns and allow to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until pink all over. Meanwhile, remove the skin and break the fish into large chunks. Add the fish back to the pot and the stew is ready to serve with garlic bread. Do not overcook the fish or it will go tough.