Bouillabaise

Description
Fish soup. Serves 6

Ingredients

 * 2 lbs 4 oz fish (4 or 5 varieties such as: stripped black bass, red snapper, ocean perch, monkfish / anglerfish and conger eel)
 * 4 large onions, sliced
 * 6 – 8 ripe tomatoes, sliced
 * 1 leek, thinly sliced
 * 8 cloves garlic, crushed
 * coarse salt and ground black pepper
 * crushed red pepper flakes
 * 3 – 4 dried fennel stalks or a small glass of pernod or pastis
 * 2 bay leaves
 * ½ teaspoon saffron
 * olive oil
 * 1 potato for each serving
 * 1 strip dried orange peel
 * 6 – 8 ripe tomatoes,sliced
 * water or fish stock
 * garlic croutons
 * rouille sauce

Directions

 * 1) Combine the sliced onions, tomatoes, leek and crushed garlic in a shallow heat-proof casserole.
 * 2) Place the sliced fish on top.
 * 3) Pound the leftover fish heads and add to the casserole to give the bouillon extra flavor.
 * 4) Sprinkle with coarse salt, red pepper flakes and ground pepper to taste.
 * 5) Add bay leaves, dried fennel, dried orange peel and saffron and moisten with olive oil.
 * 6) Stir to mix the flavors, adding more olive oil if necessary.
 * 7) Marinate this mixture covered and at room temperature for 5 hours.
 * 8) When ready to cook the bouillaibaise, peel the potatoes, slice them into ¼-inch slices and add them to the fish mixture with just enough water, or fish stock, to come within ½-inch of the top of the fish and potatoes.
 * 9) Cook the bouillabaise uncovered for 10 minutes, lower the heat and cook gently for 15 – 20 minutes more.
 * 10) Serve the bouillon separately with garlic croutons and rouille sauce.
 * 11) Accompany the bouillon with a platter of poached fish and sliced potatoes, moistened with a little of the bouillon.