How this French Restaurant Makes the Best Bouillabaisse in Brighton

Ingredients

• 200 g Mackerel Fillet (skin removed, bones saved for stock)
• 200 g Sea Bass Fillet (skin removed, bones saved for stock)
• 200 g Turbot Fillet (skin removed, bones saved for stock)
• 200 g Monkfish Tail (skin removed, membrane removed, bones saved for stock)
• 200 g Squid (cleaned, tentacles trimmed, wings kept, scored)
• 200 g Mussels (scrubbed, debearded)
• 200 g Clams (cleaned, sand removed)
• 2 medium Potatoes (boiled, sliced for serving)
• 1 small Fennel Bulb (thinly sliced)
• 2 medium Carrot (diced)
• 2 stalks Celery Stalk (diced)
• 1 large Onion (diced)
• 4 pieces Garlic Clove (skin on, halved)
• 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
• 2 pieces Bay Leaf
• 1 piece Star Anise
• 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
• 0.1 g Saffron Threads (a pinch, expensive)
• 400 g Tomato (diced)
• 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp White Pepper (ground, for finishing)
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 50 ml Brandy (for flambé)
• 50 ml Vermouth (dry, for flambé)
• 150 ml Dry White Wine (quality, not cooking wine)
• 1500 ml Fish Stock (homemade or store‑bought)
• 4 tbsp Garlic Saffron Mayonnaise (Ruy) (mix mayo, minced garlic, pinch saffron, chili flakes, lemon juice)
• 8 pieces Bread Slices (sturdy country loaf, brushed with olive oil)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Fish

   Scale, gut and fillet the mackerel, sea bass, turbot and monkfish. Remove skins and any membranes. Keep all heads, bones and trimmings for the stock.

   Time: PT20M

2. Clean Shellfish

   Rinse mussels and clams under cold water, scrub shells, and debeard. Set aside in a bowl of cold water.

   Time: PT10M

3. Prep Vegetables & Potatoes

   Dice fennel, carrots, celery, onion; halve garlic cloves with skin on. Boil potatoes until just tender, then slice.

   Time: PT20M

4. Roast Bones and Trimmings

   Spread fish heads, bones and vegetable trimmings on a roasting pan, drizzle with a little olive oil, and roast at 200°C for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 200°C

5. Sauté Base Vegetables

   In the stockpot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add fennel, carrots, celery, onion and the skin‑on garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: Medium

6. Toast Spices

   Add thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, star anise, peppercorns and the pinch of saffron to the pot. Stir for 2 minutes to release aromatics.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Medium

7. Add Tomatoes

   Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium

8. Flambé with Brandy and Vermouth

   Carefully add 50 ml brandy and 50 ml dry vermouth. Ignite with a long lighter, let the flame burn off the alcohol, then extinguish.

   Time: PT2M

9. Deglaze with White Wine

   Pour in 150 ml dry white wine, stir, and let reduce for about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium

10. Simmer the Stock

    Add the roasted fish bones, heads and the prepared fish stock (or water). Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 60 minutes.

    Time: PT1H

    Temperature: Low simmer

11. Blend and Strain

    Remove the pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh sieve, pressing to extract all liquid.

    Time: PT10M

12. Season Final Soup

    Stir in salt to taste and ½ tsp ground white pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed.

    Time: PT2M

13. Cook the Seafood

    In a hot skillet, quickly sear the fish fillets, squid rings, mussels and clams (add a splash of water, cover, and cook until shells open). Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: Medium‑high

14. Grill Bread

    Brush bread slices with olive oil and grill or toast until golden and slightly smoky.

    Time: PT5M

15. Plate and Serve

    Place a ladle of hot soup in each bowl, add sliced boiled potatoes, top with the cooked seafood, drizzle with garlic saffron mayo (ruy), and serve with grilled bread on the side.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

3 g