Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (6-quart minimum)
• •Mortar and pestle or food processor
• •Ladle
• •Wide, shallow serving bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the rouille

   Begin with the rouille so the flavors have time to marry. In a mortar, pound the garlic with the salt until you have a smooth paste. Add the saffron and pound again. Add the soaked bread and egg yolk, working everything into a thick paste. Now add the oil drop by drop, stirring constantly with the pestle, just as you would build a mayonnaise. When the sauce begins to thicken and emulsify, you can add the oil in a thin stream. Stir in the cayenne. Taste. The rouille should be pungent with garlic, golden from saffron, and have enough heat to wake you up. Cover and set aside.

   If you do not have a mortar and pestle, use a food processor. Pulse the garlic, salt, saffron, and bread first, then add the yolk and drizzle in the oil with the motor running.
2. 2

   Build the aromatic base

   Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned, about twelve minutes. The fennel will become sweet and fragrant, releasing its anise perfume. Add the garlic and cook one minute more until you smell it.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes and wine

   Pour in the crushed tomatoes and white wine. Let this simmer for five minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. The wine will reduce slightly and the raw alcohol smell will burn off, leaving only brightness.

4. 4

   Create the saffron broth

   Add the fish stock, saffron threads, orange zest, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Let the broth cook uncovered for twenty minutes. The saffron will bloom, turning the liquid a deep gold, and the flavors will concentrate. Taste and add salt as needed. The broth should taste alive, like the sea and the garden met.

   If you do not have homemade fish stock, use a good quality store-bought one. Avoid anything with too much salt or artificial flavor. Better yet, ask your fishmonger for bones and heads and make your own.
5. 5

   Poach the fish

   Remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and orange zest. Season the fish pieces with salt. Gently lower them into the simmering broth, spacing them so they are not crowded. If using mussels or clams, add them now, hinge side down. Cover and cook gently for eight to ten minutes. Do not stir. The fish is done when it flakes easily and the shellfish have opened. Discard any that remain closed.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Remove the pot from heat. If using Pernod, add it now. It will send up a wave of anise that smells like Marseille in summer. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls, dividing the fish and shellfish evenly. Scatter parsley over each bowl. Serve immediately with crusty bread and the rouille. Show your guests how to spread the rouille on bread, float it in the broth, and let it melt into the liquid.

   Warm your bowls in a low oven for a few minutes before serving. The stew stays hot longer, and your guests can linger at the table.

Chef Tips

• •Talk to your fishmonger. Tell them you are making a fish stew and ask what is freshest. The specific varieties matter less than the quality. Firm white fish that holds together in broth is what you need.
• •Make your own fish stock when you can. Save shrimp shells and fish bones in the freezer until you have enough. Simmer with onion, fennel trimmings, white wine, and water for thirty minutes. Strain. This is the foundation of everything.
• •Saffron is expensive because it should be. Buy the threads, not the powder, and look for deep red color. A little goes far. Store it in a dark place.
• •If good fresh tomatoes are in season, use two pounds of ripe ones instead of canned. Peel and seed them first. The stew will taste like summer.
• •This is a dish for passing around the table. Set out extra bread, a bowl of rouille, and let people serve themselves seconds. The communal nature of the meal is part of its meaning.

Advance Preparation

• •The rouille can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• •The broth base can be prepared through step four up to one day ahead. Refrigerate, then reheat gently before adding the fish.
• •Do not poach the fish until just before serving. It takes only minutes and must be eaten immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 480g)