Bourride – Fish Stew with Aïoli

I was looking for authentic French recipes for my French Food Week in Novemebr 2016 when I came upon this Marseille-Style Fish Stew with Aioli in SAVEUR - a gourmet, food, wine and travel magazine at www.saveur.com. This recipe had appeared in the March 2014 issue with the story, The City by the Sea. https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/classic-french-fish-stew-with-aioli/

The recipe was pretty strightforward and simple and without doubt, yummy. It was quite a filling whole meal that we enjoyed for lunch.

Serves 6 to 8 as appetizer or 2 to 3 people as whole meal for lunch or dinner

Ingredients

For the Aïoli

• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• Salt, to taste
• 1 cup olive oil

For the Soup

• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• ¼  tsp. cayenne pepper (chilli powder)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 leeks, white parts only, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ cups dry white wine
• 4 cups seafood stock
• 900g skinless firm white fish (I used sea bass) pin bones removed
• 275 g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
• ½ tsp. saffron threads
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• Toasted baguette, for serving (I used toasted bread)

Instructions

To make the aïoli: 

• Whisk lemon juice, garlic, egg yolk, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until thick, 2–3 minutes; transfer to a blender. With the motor running, drizzle in oil until sauce is emulsified. Transfer aïoli to a bowl; set aside

To make the soup:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add fennel, cayenne, garlic, leeks, onions, tomatoes, and bay leaf; cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Add wine; simmer until reduced by half, 4–5 minutes. Add stock and 2 cups water; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until broth is slightly reduced, 12–15 minutes. Strain broth; return to saucepan over medium heat. Add fish, shrimp, saffron, salt, and pepper; cook until fish is firm and shrimp are pink, 2–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, divide fish and shrimp between 6 bowls.
• Whisk 1⁄2 cup broth into aïoli; return to pan. Cook until slightly thick, 4–5 minutes; ladle over fish. Garnish with parsley; serve with toasted bread.