I have made this so many times and yesterday I served it to friends for lunch, along with a peach, green onion, peach vinegar vinaigrette, simple salad. The salad was a risk for me as I was just following the season but it turned out well and was totally demolished. (I love peach season)
My guests loved it all but this is the first time I've had people eating the croutes with the aioli as a side. I had to keep toasting more to meet their demands. I certainly is delicious and I found myself the next evening, eating the leftover soup with 10 croutes mounded with aioli. We sure do all love garlic!
I decided, since I had the time, to research the weight of a whole fish, versus its fillets. The answer is....it depends. But for this recipe I used 625 gm of cod fillets and I must remember that that was a good amount. I think I have used more in the past. And I never discard the soup bits, I just coarsely blend it and serve it all.
Provencal Fish Soup with Saffron Rouille Gourmet | March 2008
Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you: Yes, after simmering the fish with aromatics, wine, and tomatoes, we advise you to force every last bit through a food mill—heads, tails, bones, and all—for an incredibly lush soup, tasting of a beautiful union between land and sea (the food mill will strain any unwanted solids to be discarded). A garlicky rouille, exotic with a touch of crumbled saffron, further coaxes out the natural richness of the fish.
Makes 8 (first course) servings Active Time: 1 1/4 hr Total Time: 1 3/4 hr
4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
1 large fennel bulb, stalks discarded, reserving fronds for garnish, and bulb chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 large celery ribs, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
2 California or 4 Turkish bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
5 pounds whole whiting, perch, or cod (preferably with heads), cleaned and rinsed well
5 medium tomatoes, chopped (4 cups) less
2 cups dry white wine
4 (3- by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest less
6 cups water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
Accompaniment: saffron rouille
Wash leeks . Cook leeks, fennel bulb, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herbes de Provence, bay leaves, cayenne, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in an 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
While vegetable mixture cooks, cut fish crosswise into 2- to 3-inch lengths.
Add tomatoes, wine, and zest to vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, then boil 30 seconds. Add fish, water, and tomato paste and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until fish completely falls apart, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Arrange baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and thoroughly dried, about 20 minutes.
Remove orange zest and bay leaves. Force soup through food mill into a large heavy pot, discarding solids. Reheat soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Mound rouille on croutons and put 1 in bottom of each soup bowl. Pour soup around croutons.
Cooks' note:
Soup, without rouille and croutons, can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, uncovered, until completely cooled, then covered. Reheat before serving. Saffron Rouille
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads +
1/4 teaspoon hot water
1 cup mayonnaise scant
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice +
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne use half
Preparation
Sprinkle saffron over hot water in a small cup and let stand 1 minute.
Blend saffron mixture with remaining ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.
Cooks' notes: ·Instead of your own roasted peppers, you can use rinsed bottled roasted red peppers.
Rouille can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
My notes...I added extra garlic
My guests loved it all but this is the first time I've had people eating the croutes with the aioli as a side. I had to keep toasting more to meet their demands. I certainly is delicious and I found myself the next evening, eating the leftover soup with 10 croutes mounded with aioli. We sure do all love garlic!
I decided, since I had the time, to research the weight of a whole fish, versus its fillets. The answer is....it depends. But for this recipe I used 625 gm of cod fillets and I must remember that that was a good amount. I think I have used more in the past. And I never discard the soup bits, I just coarsely blend it and serve it all.
Provencal Fish Soup with Saffron Rouille Gourmet | March 2008
Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you: Yes, after simmering the fish with aromatics, wine, and tomatoes, we advise you to force every last bit through a food mill—heads, tails, bones, and all—for an incredibly lush soup, tasting of a beautiful union between land and sea (the food mill will strain any unwanted solids to be discarded). A garlicky rouille, exotic with a touch of crumbled saffron, further coaxes out the natural richness of the fish.
Makes 8 (first course) servings Active Time: 1 1/4 hr Total Time: 1 3/4 hr
4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
1 large fennel bulb, stalks discarded, reserving fronds for garnish, and bulb chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 large celery ribs, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
2 California or 4 Turkish bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
5 pounds whole whiting, perch, or cod (preferably with heads), cleaned and rinsed well
5 medium tomatoes, chopped (4 cups) less
2 cups dry white wine
4 (3- by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest less
6 cups water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
Accompaniment: saffron rouille
Wash leeks . Cook leeks, fennel bulb, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herbes de Provence, bay leaves, cayenne, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in an 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
While vegetable mixture cooks, cut fish crosswise into 2- to 3-inch lengths.
Add tomatoes, wine, and zest to vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, then boil 30 seconds. Add fish, water, and tomato paste and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until fish completely falls apart, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Arrange baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and thoroughly dried, about 20 minutes.
Remove orange zest and bay leaves. Force soup through food mill into a large heavy pot, discarding solids. Reheat soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Mound rouille on croutons and put 1 in bottom of each soup bowl. Pour soup around croutons.
Cooks' note:
Soup, without rouille and croutons, can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, uncovered, until completely cooled, then covered. Reheat before serving. Saffron Rouille
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads +
1/4 teaspoon hot water
1 cup mayonnaise scant
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice +
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne use half
Preparation
Sprinkle saffron over hot water in a small cup and let stand 1 minute.
Blend saffron mixture with remaining ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.
Cooks' notes: ·Instead of your own roasted peppers, you can use rinsed bottled roasted red peppers.
Rouille can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
My notes...I added extra garlic