Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 100 g onion, chopped
- 1 celery, chopped
- 4 garlic, chopped
- ½ fennel, chopped
- 45 ml olive oil
- 35 ml pernod
Broth and Seasoning
- 6 g red pepper flakes
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 240 ml dry white wine
- 240 ml canned tomato purée
- 4 canned whole tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
Seafood
- 20 mussels, scrubbed
- 340 g skinless white fish fillets, cut into two pieces
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 886 kcal
- Protein
- 62 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 1493 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 21 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 158 mg
- Potassium
- 2547 mg
- Calcium
- 242 mg
- Iron
- 12.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 203 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1019 mg
- Zinc
- 6.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 315 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 61 mg
- Vitamin D
- 20.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 9.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 78 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 25.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.35 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.89 mg
- Niacin
- 12.0 mg
- Folate
- 174 mcg
- Water
- 744 g
- Alcohol
- 12 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the onion, celery, garlic, and chopped fennel into a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it forms a coarse paste.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable paste and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently until softened.
Pour 30ml (2 tablespoons) of Pernod into the pan and cook until the liquid has nearly evaporated.
Stir in the red pepper flakes and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Add the white wine to the pan and bring the liquid to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer the wine for 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato purée and the chopped canned tomatoes. Bring the mixture back to a boil.
Cover the saucepan and remove it from the heat to let the flavors meld while you prepare the seafood.
Place the saucepan back on medium heat until the broth reaches a bare simmer.
Gently place the fish fillets and mussels into the broth. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the mussels have opened and the internal temperature of the fish reaches 74°C (165°F).
Transfer the fish and mussels into warmed serving bowls and ladle the soup over them.
Top each bowl with reserved fennel tops, the remaining 5ml (1 teaspoon) of Pernod, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Warming the bowls prevents the delicate seafood from cooling too quickly.
- If serving to children, omit the final teaspoon of raw Pernod in the finishing step.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container; seafood texture may degrade upon reheating.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat until steaming. Do not boil to avoid toughening the seafood.
Troubleshooting
Mussels did not open after 8 minutes
Cause: Mussels were dead before cooking or the broth was not hot enough
Fix: Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking; do not force them open
Prevention: Ensure mussels are alive (tightly closed) before cooking and broth is at a steady simmer
Cultural Context
This fish soup, often referred to as "Soupe de Poisson" or "Bouillabaisse" in a more elaborate form, has roots in the coastal regions of France, particularly Provence. Historically, it was a humble dish made by fishermen with their unsold catch, evolving into a celebrated culinary staple known for its rich seafood flavors and aromatic broth.
