Bouillabaisse

ingredients

• croutons:
• 14 (0.5 inch-thick) baguette slices
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• soup:
• 1 (1-1 1/4 pounds) live lobster
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound boiling potatoes
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 1/3 cup coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 1/4 quarts white fish stock
• 3 pounds mixed skinned white fish fillets (such as monkfish, flounder, red snapper, striped bass, porgy, flounder, and/or cod), cut into 2 inch pieces
• Rouille

directions

Make croutons:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Arrange bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake in middle of oven until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic.

Make soup:

Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6 to 2 gallons pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water. Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot. Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles. Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2 inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan.

Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6 to 2 gallons pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 0.5 inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 9 minutes.

Add thicker pieces of fish to soup and simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Stir in remaining fish and lobster, including juices, and simmer, uncovered, until they are just cooked through, 4 minutes.

Stir 3 tablespoons broth from soup into rouille until blended. Arrange 2 croutons in each of 7 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and lobster from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.

Top each serving with 1 teaspoon rouille and serve remainder on the side.