Tomato Bouillabaisse with Crushed Basil

DIFFICULTY
Average Average
PREP TIME
Under 1 Hr. Under 1 Hr.
COOK TIME
Under 1 Hr. Under 1 Hr.
SERVES
4-6 4-6
Tomato Bouillabaisse with Crushed Basil
This is a traditional dish that celebrates the bounty of the ocean with minimal effort. Pan-frying the prawns and calamari or fish separately allows you to control the result of tender seafood but steaming your mussels beforehand in the same casserole ensures you don’t lose any of that flavour.
Main INGREDIENTS
  • Fish & Seafood
Ingredients
Method

Ingredients

FOR THE BOUILLABAISSE
  • 2 brown onions, chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1 head of fennel, chopped
  • +/-60ml olive oil, for frying
  • 10g Italian parsley
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 10g thyme
  • 1 chilli, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 litre fish or vegetable stock
  • 200g mussels, cleaned or 100g frozen mussels in half shell
  • 15ml tomato paste
  • 400g tinned whole cherry tomatoes
  • 200g large prawns, cleaned and de-shelled
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
  • Juice from 1 lemon to season
  • 200g calamari (squid tubes and tentacles) sliced
FOR THE CRUSHED BASIL
  • 60g basil
  • 30g macadamia nuts
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 60ml olive oil
  • ½ clove garlic
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

  • Method

  • 1
    Place a large Le Creuset casserole over medium heat and gently sauté the onion, leek, and fennel in a little olive oil until translucent.
  • 2
    Tie the parsley, bay leaves, thyme, and chilli together with kitchen string to form your bouquet garni.
  • 3
    Add the bouquet garni to the casserole along with the sliced garlic cloves. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of stock and the fresh mussels (if using frozen mussels, do not add at this point). Cover with the lid and steam for 3-4 minutes until the mussel shells have opened. Once opened, remove the mussels from the casserole, cover and keep them aside for later.
  • 4
    Add the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring well. Add in the tomatoes and cook for five minutes before adding the remaining stock. Season and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. (If using frozen mussels, add to the mixture 2 minutes before the end of cooking to heat through).
  • 5
    Place another Le Creuset pan on medium heat with a little more olive oil and fry the prawns until bright pink on both sides. Remove from the pan and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Fry the calamari in the same pan very quickly as to avoid becoming rubbery. Remove from the pan and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
  • 6
    To make the crushed basil (optional):
  • 7
    Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until well combined but still chunky.
  • 8
    To serve, place the bouillabaisse base in 4 x Le Creuset Riviera Collection Cereal Bowls. Top with the seafood, and garnish with crushed basil. Serve immediately.