Ultimate Bouillabaisse | All of the detail - Adam Byatt *

Possibly more enjoyable to make than eat, and that is saying something.

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Recipe
Bouillabaisse
1kg mixed bouillabaisse fish, filleted, scaled and pin boned
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1 carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalks, diced
Sprig of thyme
Sprig of rosemary, no stalk
1 bay leaves
2g saffron
4 peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 star anise
½ orange, zest
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100g brandy
100g pernod
250ml white wine
½ orange, juice
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2 litres cold water
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4 tomatoes, diced
200g passata
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1/2 bunch tarragon
1 orange, zest
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Scale the fish, then fillet and trim as needed. Pin-bone where required and cut the fillets into 2–3 pieces, depending on size, so all pieces are roughly equal for even cooking. Reserve the prepared fillets refrigerated. Chop the fish bones and trimmings into small pieces and rinse briefly if needed, then drain well.

Heat a large rondelle over medium heat with a generous amount of olive oil. Add the fish bones and trimmings and cook, stirring and scraping frequently, until they break down and a deep golden fond forms on the base of the pan. Do not allow to burn – this will take around 15/20 minutes.

Add the diced carrots, onions, and celery. Season lightly, allow to sweat without colour, and cook until the vegetables release their moisture and the steam lifts the fond from the pan, at this point cover with a lid and remove from the heat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until softened and lightly coloured.

Add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, star anise, saffron, orange zest, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Sweat gently for 5 minutes until aromatic. Deglaze with the brandy and Pernod and reduce until nearly dry, then add the white wine and reduce again until the alcohol is cooked out.

Add the orange juice, passata and cold water. Bring to the boil, don’t be tempted to skim at this stage. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the fresh tomatoes

Remove from the heat, blend the stock until smooth, then pass through a fine chinois, pressing well. Return to a clean pan and reduce by one third. Add the orange zest and tarragon and adjust seasoning.

Pour the reduced sauce into the pan, place the fish and oysters in sporadically, braise at 160c for around 8 minutes, remove from the oven and add the clams, mussels and agretti. Braise further until the shellfish have opened, around 4/5 minutes. Serve immediately. Finish with croutons topped with aioli.

Croutons
Slice sourdough 1cm thick, stamp out, dress in olive oil, season and bake at 160c until golden and crisp. Allow to cool.

Aioli
20g peeled garlic
1g saffron
300ml water
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30g Dijon
3 egg yolks
20ml lemon juice
5g maldon salt
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300ml veg oil
300ml olive oil
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Put the garlic, saffron and water in a pan and simmer to reduce, when the garlic is soft and water is reduced – reserve to cool. Blend saffron/garlic with egg yolk, salt, lemon juice and Dijon in a blender until smooth. Emulsify oils slowly. Finish with salt/lemon if needed.