Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 1 red chili pepper, stemmed and seeded
- 1 saffron threads, steeped in 5ml warm water
- 2 g fine sea salt
Emulsion
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 155 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 88 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 22 mg
- Potassium
- 8 mg
- Calcium
- 4 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 0 mg
- Phosphorus
- 9 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 2 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the saffron threads in a small dish with 5ml of warm water and steep for 5 minutes to release the color and flavor.
Place the peeled garlic, prepared red chili pepper, and fine sea salt into a mortar and pestle. Pound vigorously until a smooth, uniform paste forms.
Transfer the chili-garlic paste to a mixing bowl. Add the room temperature egg yolk and the steeped saffron along with its liquid. Whisk thoroughly until well combined.
While whisking continuously and vigorously, begin adding the extra virgin olive oil one drop at a time to initiate the emulsion. Once the mixture begins to thicken and turn opaque, slowly pour the remaining oil in a thin, steady stream until fully incorporated.
Whisk in the fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Allow the rouille to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can fully develop.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic Provencal texture, use a mortar and pestle rather than a food processor, which can sometimes over-shear the olive oil and make it bitter.
- A small piece of crusty white bread soaked in fish stock is traditionally added to the mortar with the garlic in older recipes, which offers extra stability to the emulsion.
- If you find extra virgin olive oil too overpowering or bitter, use a 50/50 blend of extra virgin olive oil and a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil.
- If you are concerned about raw eggs, use a pasteurized egg yolk to ensure food safety without compromising the sauce's texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the sauce
Troubleshooting
Sauce separates, looks greasy, or will not thicken
Cause: Oil was added too quickly or the egg yolk was too cold
Fix: Whisk a fresh egg yolk or a teaspoon of Dijon mustard in a clean bowl, then slowly whisk the broken sauce into it drop by drop
Prevention: Ensure the egg yolk is at room temperature and add the oil drop by drop initially until a stable base forms
Cultural Context
Originating in the Provence region of southern France, rouille translates to rust, referencing its vibrant reddish-orange hue derived from saffron and red peppers. It is the mandatory, traditional accompaniment to Bouillabaisse, usually slathered thickly on toasted crusty bread and floated in the rich seafood stew.
