Chicken Bouillabaisse
We’ve adapted this from Jacques Pépin’s chicken bouillabaisse in Fast Food My Way. Chef Pépin is a longtime friend of JCC Manhattan, serving as a judge in April 2011 for the Annual Man-O-Manischewitz Cookoff. Bouillabaisse is a hearty stew, and this version proves you don’t need shellfish to make it. We serve it with a dollop of rouille, a delicious garlic-heavy Provençal condiment. You can also add sweet or spicy peppers to it to get more punch, and spread the rouille on crusty baguette slices you then float in each serving. Or serve the stew with Two-Grain Saffron Couscous (here) and pass the rouille alongside.
½ cup coarsely chopped onion (from 1 small onion)
¼ cup coarsely chopped celery
¼ cup coarsely chopped carrot
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon saffron threads
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
¼ teaspoon herbes de Provence
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless chicken leg and thigh pieces (about 2 pounds), any fat removed
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons Pernod or Ricard (optional)
5 small Yukon Gold potatoes (about ¾ pound), peeled and halved
8 ounces chicken-apple sausage, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, chives, or parsley, or a combination, for garnish
Rouille
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg yolk (optional)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of kosher salt, if needed
Lemon juice (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the onion, celery, carrot, oil, garlic, zest, saffron, fennel seeds, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and mix to coat the chicken well. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed. (This can be done up to a half-day ahead.)
Transfer the contents of the bowl to a medium heavy enamel or stainless steel pot and add the tomatoes, stock, wine, Pernod, if using, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 25 minutes, checking twice to ensure all the chicken is submerged. Add the sausage and simmer until the sausage is cooked through and the chicken and vegetables are fork-tender, about 5 minutes.
To make the rouille, combine half a potato from the soup, ¼ cup liquid and vegetables from the soup, the garlic, paprika, and cayenne in a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add the egg yolk, if using. With the processor running slowly, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, processing until the oil is incorporated and the mixture is thick and creamy. Adjust the seasoning with the salt and lemon juice if necessary.
Transfer the bouillabaisse to warm soup plates. Top each with a spoonful of the rouille, sprinkle with the fresh herbs, and serve.