Easy Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse is an exotic fish stew/soup from Marseille in Provence. Most recipes are time-consuming and list about 15 - 20 ingredients but we can't be bothered with that. Here is a very cheap and easy recipe which my parents found in a country guesthouse in Provence many years ago...........
Serves 3-4
600g - 800g mixed fish in chunks (whatever is cheap - you can use catfish, haddock, big prawns, monfish, bass etc - it all comes out delicious)
6 onions - sliced
5 cloves garlic - sliced
10 cloves - whole
1 large strip orange peel - chopped into three bits
1 large pinch saffron
1 litre hot water with 2 fish stock cubes
800g potatoes - sliced into 1cm slices
In a large saucepan or deep frying pan, fry the onions in a good amount of olive oil til soft and caramelised. Do not burn them - it will take 20-30 mins to get them gooey and sweet. Then add the garlic, cloves, orange peel and saffron and stir for a minute. Add the hot stock and let the mixture bubble away for 20-30 minutes. Then add the potato slices and more water if needed, and when they are just cooked through, pop the chunks of fish on top. Turn fish over after 2 minutes and after another minute it's done! Season if needed and serve in large bowls or deep plates with rustic French bread.
Alternatively you can make mashed potato instead and serve the juicy fish stew on top.