Ingredients
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3 pounds sea basscut in 12 small portions
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3 pounds red snappercut in 12 small portions
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12 snow crab legs
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12 tiny Florida lobster tail
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extra virgin olive oil
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3 garlic cloves
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2 fennel bulb
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1 pound potatoespeeled, turned and blanched
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stale baguette
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2 garlic clove
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1/2 lemonjuice only
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3 tablespoons Tabasco Chipotle pepper sauce
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1 tablespoon saffron
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2 cups dry white wine
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3.5 quarts Water
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1/2 teaspoon Provence herbs
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1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
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1/4 cup Pastisor any other Mediterranean, anise based liquor
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Rouille
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1 cup extra virgin olive oil
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2 Egg Yolks
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2 clove garlic
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1 tablespoon lemonjuice
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1 small potatoescooked and peeled
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1 teaspoon saffron
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6 tablespoons Tabasco garlic pepper
Directions
Note:
- Alternatively, a simpler method with no egg yolks can be prepared.In that case, the “rouille” can be made with 2 cups mayonnaise, 6 tablespoons of Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce, 1 tablesppon of fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of saffron.
Broth
- Make a broth with the snow crab legs, lobster shell, garlic, Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce, saffron, salt, wine, COLD water, Provence herbs, fennel seeds and Pastis. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let infuse the flavors 20 minutes. You should end up with 4 quarts of clear, saffron color broth. Reserve the crab legs for future use.
Bouillabaisse
- Toss all the fish, lobster, fennel and potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic. Marinate for 3 hours (ideally overnight).
Rouille
- In a mortar, mash garlic and saffron with a pestle until you obtain a paste. Add the cooked potato and mash. Add and beat the eggs until very thick and lemon colored. Add salt.
- Beating constantly, add olive oil VERY SLOWLY — literally drop by drop. After about half the oil has been added and the mixture is thickening, add lemon juice. Then continue adding olive oil slowly, beating until a thick emulsion (mayonnaise texture) is formed. At the end, add Tabasco garlic pepper sauce.
Notes:
- This version of the rouille comes from Marseille, France. The use of the cooked potato is very traditional, and gives a rustic texture and a great elasticity to the rouille. In fact, the starch from the cooked potato acts as a natural emulsifier and will help during the process.
Assembly
- Make crostini with stale baguette. Put the broth in a large sautoir and simmer gently. Delicately add the fish and lobster, fennel, potatoes and poach for about 10 minutes, depending on firmness of fish. Add crab legs at the end to reheat. Serve at once in a large soup bowl. Decorate with sprig of fennel, and a crostini with rouille.
