Julia Child’s Bouillabaisse: How to Make a French Classic

Julia’s Timeless Bouillabaisse

Julia Child’s Bouillabaisse is a rustic seafood stew from France. It starts as soupe de poisson (without the pasta) and an assortment of fish, scallops, mussels, clams, and shellfish are added at the end. It can also be served with rouille, toasted French bread, and a squeeze of lemon. It should have a strong fish flavor, a fair amount of heat from chilis, deep notes of saffron, a hint of anise, and lots of chunks of fish. It can also have tender bits of shrimp, lobster, scallops, and/or a dramatic sampling of clams and mussels.

Diving Into the Aromatic World of a Julia Child’s Bouillabaisse Recipe

The base of a good bouillabaisse recipe is an aromatic and tasty recipe for soupe de poisson. Bouillabaisse can be served with an optional side of rouille (the recipe follows the soupe de poisson recipe) or it can be mixed in. When making this at home, Julia recommends serving the seafood, fish, and shellfish separately. This way everyone is sure to get exactly what they want in their bowl.

Essential Ingredients for an Authentic Seafood Stock

• 1 cup diced onions
• 3/4 cup sliced leeks (or 1/2 cup additional onions diced)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, mashed
• 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained (or 1 large diced plum tomato or 3 tablespoons tomato paste or tomato purée)
• water
• 6 parsley sprigs (plus more for garnish)
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb, fennel fronds for garnish, or 2 teaspoons of a pastis like Pernod)
• 2 teaspoons saffron threads
• 2-inch piece of orange peel
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 pounds of fish and their parts (including bones, trimmings, gills, heads, shrimp shells, frozen fish, etc.)
• French baguette cut into rounds and toasted (or 1 cup large croûtons)

(Optional) Rouille Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (jarred or simmered for 3 minutes in the soup & peeled) or 1/4 cup of pimento
• 1 small chili pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce)
• 1 medium potato, peeled and boiled until tender in soup
• 4 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1 teaspoon basil (or thyme)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin fruity olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoon hot soupe de poisson

Tools of the Trade: What You’ll Need for Your Seafood Soup

• Soup pot or dutch oven
• Soup Tureen (optional)
• Mesh sieve
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Knife and cutting board
• Large bowl

Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting the Perfect Pot

1. Heat the olive oil in the soup pot over medium heat. Then cook the onions and leeks until they are tender but not browned. This should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and canned tomatoes, stir, and cook an additional 5 minutes.
3. Add 10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) of water and the aromatics: parsley, bay leaf, thyme, fennel, saffron, orange rind, pepper, salt, fish, shellfish, and parts.
4. Gently stir to combine and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.
5. Carefully strain the soup into a large bowl. Gently press the liquid out of the seafood and herbs with a wooden spoon or spatula. Wipe the soup pot clean.
6. Return the fish broth to the soup pot, taste it, and correct the seasoning if needed by adding salt, pepper, or saffron.
7. Bring the soup to a boil and add the peeled potato (for the rouille). Boil it until it is tender about 10 minutes.
8. After the potato is fork tender, pull it out and add it to the rouille sauce.

(Optional) Rouille Instructions: Step-by-Step

1. Put soft chopped red bell pepper, chili or Tabasco, potato, garlic, and basil into a food processor and blend on high until smooth.
2. Stir in olive oil until well combined.
3. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Right before serving, thin sauce out with hot fish broth. Serve in a small bowl or sauceboat.

Simmering to Perfection: The Secret to a Perfect Bouillabaisse

Now that you’ve made your soupe de poisson, how do you turn that into a fabulous bouillabaisse?

1. Assemble a collection of 6 to 8 pounds of lean fish and shellfish from the list above.
2. Bring the fish broth to a high boil.
3. If you are using lobster or crab, boil those for 5 minutes.
4. Then add the fish, clams, mussels, and scallops, and boil for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Do not overcook the seafood or they will be tough and rubbery.
6. Immediately remove all of the fish and shellfish and artfully arrange them on a platter.
7. Taste the broth and correct the seasonings as needed.
8. Pour the fish broth into a large soup tureen.
9. Mound the seafood into bowls, ladle the fish broth over the fish and shellfish, garnish with fennel fronds or fresh parsley, and serve with a side of rouille and toasted baguettes.

Julia Child Picture Project

If you are interested in more photos of Julia Child’s recipes found in Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 1, here is my collection. This soupe de poisson recipe is inspired by her recipe on page 50. I recommend you find your copy or purchase the cookbook and read her words. She imparts wisdom that is both enlightening and entertaining like no other.

Recipe Tips and Tricks from Julia’s Kitchen

Mastering the Layers of Seafood

As quizzical as it may sound, fish should not be fishy. Fish should smell like the ocean. When you are buying fish, it is perfectly acceptable to smell it. If the fish fillets or any part of the fish smells the least bit like a fish, don’t buy or if at home, toss it.

A good soupe de poisson is a celebration of the sea. The best fish soups get their depth of flavor and complexity when 4 to 6 different types of fish are used. Since the soup is gently boiled for 40 minutes, look for firm-fleshed fish. Try a variety of the following.

• Snapper
• Halibut
• Grouper
• Sea Bass
• Eel
• Salmon
• Sole
• Perch
• Cod or Lingcod
• Whiting
• Trout
• Rockfish
• Shellfish: clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops
• When using shellfish, make sure to scrub the clams and mussels to rid them of any sand and grit.

Customizing Your Bouillabaisse Experience

If you love the deep notes of saffron, add two pinches more.

If you enjoy a stronger tomato base (like I do!), add 1/4 cup tomato paste. Add it to the fish broth before cooking the shellfish in the last step. Once the bouillabaisse is happily in your bowl, I highly suggest a light drizzle of a fruity olive oil over the soup. The oil helps carry all the glorious flavor to every part of your mouth. Making your bouillabaisse, literally lip-smacking good!

If you feel your fish soup lacks fish taste, add 1/4 cup of clam juice or broth to kick the flavor up a notch.

Serving Suggestions for a Complete French Feast

Pairing Your Stew with the Right Accoutrements

This dish has so much going on, especially if you’ve chosen clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, or lobster to grace your provençal stew. It does not need many accouterments. A fresh baguette, sliced, toasted, and (for garlic lovers) perhaps rubbed a bit with fresh garlic is divine drenched in the broth. A side of rouille is exceptional (and quite a bit of work), but not crucial.

Wine Pairings for the Ultimate Bouillabaisse Night

Dry rosés are wonderful with a bouillabaisse. Or try a young red wine like a Beaujolais. Both of these pair beautifully with this spectacular feast!

FAQ: Immersing into the Bouillabaisse Tradition

Can I substitute different types of seafood in this recipe?

Absolutely! Remember this soup is all about what French fishermen caught in the Mediterranean Sea and couldn’t sell. Each time they made it could have been a little different. Choose your favorites and have fun!

What are the must-have herbs and spices for genuine bouillabaisse?

The must-haves in the recipe are:

1. An excellent fish broth
2. Firm flakey fish and/or shellfish
3. Saffron
4. Anise flavor (fresh fennel, fennel seeds, a pastis like Pernod are all good options)

How do I store bouillabaisse?

Bouillabaisse is best when served immediately. The soupe de poisson or fish broth can be frozen for up to 4 months or kept in the fridge for 5 days. However, the fish and shellfish are best when eaten right away or the following day at the latest.