Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetable Base
- 60 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
Broth
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 400 g canned plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 1000 ml fish stock
- saffron threads
- 1 orange zest, strip
- 1 bay leaf
Seafood
- 600 g firm white fish fillets, cut into 5cm pieces
- 200 g squid, cleaned, bodies sliced into rings
- 300 g clams, scrubbed and purged
- 300 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 707 kcal
- Protein
- 68 g
- Carbohydrates
- 43 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1350 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 225 mg
- Potassium
- 2716 mg
- Calcium
- 201 mg
- Iron
- 7.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 165 mg
- Phosphorus
- 857 mg
- Zinc
- 3.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 492 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 95 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 6.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 58 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 19.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.95 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.66 mg
- Niacin
- 8.5 mg
- Folate
- 114 mcg
- Water
- 573 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the seafood: Ensure clams and mussels are scrubbed clean and any open ones that don't close when tapped are discarded. Pat fish and squid dry.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks, fennel, carrots, and bell pepper. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened but not browned.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Add the crushed tomatoes, fish stock, potatoes, saffron, orange zest strip, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Add the firm white fish and squid to the broth. Simmer gently for 3 minutes.
Add the clams and mussels. Cover the pot tightly and steam for 4-5 minutes until the shells have opened.
Remove from heat immediately. Discard the bay leaf, orange zest, and any unopened shellfish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with reserved fennel fronds.
Chef's Notes
- The quality of your stock makes the dish. If you can't find high-quality fish stock, substitute with clam juice mixed with water or a high-quality vegetable broth.
- Do not boil the soup rapidly once the fish is added. High heat causes the protein fibers in the fish to contract tight, resulting in a rubbery texture.
- Serve this traditionally with 'rouille' (a garlic-saffron mayonnaise) and toasted baguette slices to soak up the broth.
- If using frozen fish, thaw completely and pat extremely dry before adding to the stew to prevent watering down the flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Seafood degrades quickly; best consumed immediately.
Reheating: Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat to avoid overcooking the fish.
Troubleshooting
Fish has disintegrated into the soup
Cause: Pot was stirred too vigorously or boiled too hard after adding fish
Fix: Serve as is; the flavor will be excellent even if the presentation is rustic
Prevention: Keep the heat at a very low simmer and shake the pot gently instead of stirring
Shellfish tastes gritty
Cause: Clams/mussels were not purged of sand properly
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked; strain broth if eating around the grit is impossible
Prevention: Soak clams in salted water for 30 minutes before cooking to purge sand
Cultural Context
Inspired by the classic Bouillabaisse of Marseille, this stew reflects the frugal traditions of Mediterranean fishermen who used the bony rockfish they couldn't sell at market to feed their families. The inclusion of saffron and orange zest marks it distinctly as a Provençal dish.
