Bouillabaisse

Pedro de la Cruz , Fandango, Pacific Grove

Serves 4

For the Soup
3 lbs. fish heads, bone trimmings. prawn shells, and heads (all rinsed under cold running water)
2 lbs. White fish
3 Tbl. olive oil
2 onions, medium size, diced
1 leek stalk, halved & sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled
peel of 1/2 orange
2 Tbl. tomato puree
2 Tbl. tomato past
2 lb. ripe tomatoes cut in pieces, to yield 4 cups
bouquet garnie (parsley, thyme, bay leaves)
1 pint white wine
1/2 tsp. Pastis (Ricard, Pernod or anise liquor
pinch Saffron threads or 1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron
2 1/2 quarts water

For the Bouillabaisse
6 lbs. seabass, snapper, halibut, monkfish, prawns, clams & mussels
12 small potatoes, par boiled
12 croutons (from sliced baguette)
Rouille (garlic, olive oil and saffron mayonnaise0
1/2 cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Sauté onion, garlic, leeks and fennel in the olive oil until translucent. Add fish, fish bones, trimmings, heads and shells from prawns and sauté for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add orange rind, bouquet garnie, salt, pepper, saffron, white wine and enough cold water to cover ingredients by 2 inches. Bring to a fast boil and then simmer for 1.2 hours-making sure to skim any foam that rises to the surface.

Strain the soup through a sieve by pressing as much fish as possible through the holes or by pressing the mixture through a ricer.

Add saffron and check seasoning. Add par boiled potatoes and fish starting with the thickets fish and finishing with the clams, mussels, 7 prawns, which require the least amount of cooking time. Simmer until cooked and then add a few drops of Pastis and serve wit croutons (rubbed with fresh whole garlic cloves) covered with rouille.