Bouillabaisse

This easy-to-make Cajun-style Bouillabaisse served with rouille sauce on toasted baguette slices is a true treat. Chunks of fish are gently cooked with onions, green bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, shrimp, and white wine. While this soup cooks, you CANNOT lift the lid, no matter how tempting. Don't do it, I warn you! Otherwise, minions of Hell will fly out of the pot! No, no, it will just mess up the cooking time if you do.

Yes, this is the same recipe that Alastor was telling Listener when they visited New Orleans for the second time.

Bouillabaisse soup
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 - 2 lbs fish, such as grouper or red snapper, chopped into 3" pieces. (May be substituted with cod)
Salt
Cayenne pepper (it's hot)
3 onions
3 green bell peppers
4 ribs/sticks of celery
10 cloves of garlic, minced (or to taste)
4 tomatoes
1 cup of shrimp, shelled or unshelled (do remember, 50% of a shellfish's flavor comes from the shell)
4 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
----------------------------------------------------------
Rouille sauce
3/4 c mayonnaise
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Make the rouille sauce now by whisking the mayonnaise, zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl. Store in the refrigerator for now.

-----------------------------------------------------------

For the bouillabaisse:

1. Chop the onions, bell peppers, and celery sticks; set aside in a large bowl. Mince the garlic and add it to the vegetables.
2. Chop the tomatoes and place in another bowl.

3. Melt the butter in a large, deep pot on medium heat.
4. Season the fish chunks with salt and cayenne.
5. When the butter is melted and hot, put 1/3 of the seasoned fish into the pot.
6. Place 1/3 of the vegetables on top of the cooking fish.
7. Place 1/3 of the tomatoes on top of the cooking vegetables.
8. Repeat the steps of layering (1/3 fish, 1/3 vegetables, and 1/3 tomatoes) in the pot.
9. When you have finished layering, add the white wine, shrimp, four bay leaves, and the dried oregano.
10. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low so the soup simmers. Simmer this for 1 hour. Do NOT lift the lid, since it will hinder cooking time.

While it simmers with the lid on, slice a baguette at an angle into pieces. Broil this just until it starts to brown (careful, it can burn VERY easily). Set the bread slices aside to cool.

When the soup is finished, adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls. Smear the rouille sauce  on the toasted bread slices and arrange a slice in each bowl. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.