What was once a simple stew made by Provençal fishermen, bouillabaisse consisted of whatever remained from the day’s catch. It has now found its way onto many fine dining menus throughout the East End for just that reason — what’s better than our own fresh, local fish? — and remains a rustic, tomato-based soup brimming with seafood and fresh herbs. It is a perfect meal to end a day at sea — or after an exhausting holiday shopping trek around Sag Harbor.
Named after the cooking method, which involves bringing the broth up to boil (bouillir) and then lowering it to barely a simmer (decler), the ingredients of a traditional Marseille bouillabaisse vary depending upon what fish are available and the taste of the person preparing it. Baron’s Cove executive chef Zackary Graham opts for halibut or black sea bass, local lobster, mussels and prawns for his take on the seafood lovers soup, currently on the menu through January at the Sag Harbor hotel and restaurant.
“Using prawns allows a lot bigger of a bite with each cut,” says the Rochester-born chef who just completed his first season at Baron’s. “I think it’s a more enjoyable experience for a dish like this.”
Considering serving this dish when entertaining this season? Graham implores you to “always use your nose first” when sourcing local fish and ensure the mussels are nice and tightly closed. “They respond to pressure if they are open, so if they don’t, discard them.” A reputable source like Out of the Blue in Hampton Bays carries fresh mussels and fileted catch of the day. Be sure to keep an eye on the eyes of the fish when sourcing, which should be clear.
Applying the nose and eyes rule when selecting local produce for the dish, with carrots, fennel and potatoes still available at both die-hard outdoor and indoor farmers markets (like the Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce’s Winter Market and Marilee’s Farmstand in Sagaponack) is also wise. “If you use good ingredients, then you’ll have a nice end product,” says Graham. “Although bouillabaisse may seem like a lot of work to prepare at home, it comes together easily.”
Pair this with a nice, crusty baguette to complete the French theme, and remember: When it comes to wine, you should cook with what you drink. A Chablis-like local chardonnay, like Paumanok’s 2021 Minimalist Chardonnay will be c’est magnifique.
Bon appetite!
Baron’s Cove Bouillabaisse
Ingredients
- 1 2 lb lobster
- 1 lb black sea bass, skin on, cut into 2 oz pieces
- 3 lbs mussels, scrubbed
- 12 large prawns, head on
- 2 medium Spanish onions, out layer peeled, ends trimmed, and roughly chopped
- 1/2 bulb fennel, green stem and fronds removed, white part roughly chopped
- 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 8 oz can tomato paste
- 1 16 oz can peeled plum tomatoes
- 2 cups dry white wine, such as chardonnay
- 48 oz fish stock (you can use water if you don't have fish stock, just make sure to season well with salt)
- 1 large Idaho potato, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tsp neutral oil, such as canola
- 1 cup herbes fines (a combination of fresh parsley, chive, tarragon and chervil)
Directions
- Fill a very large pot with water and heat to a rolling boil.
- Place lobster on a large cutting board and quickly insert a knife into the center of its head, firmly slicing down (it is the quickest and most humane way to kill a lobster).
- Immediately drop the lobster into a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes, the amount of time it takes to release the meat from the shell.
- Remove the lobster from the pot and, when cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the tail, legs and claws and set aside. Reserve the shells and scraps from your other fish for fish stock.
- Clean all of your other seafood, making sure all bones are removed from the bass and the mussels have been picked through and cleaned well.
- Clean and roughly chop all your vegetables — precision doesn’t matter here; the soup will be blended in the end.
- In a large, deep pot, sauté all your vegetables on medium-low heat, careful not to allow them to develop any color. Watch the heat and keep it moving in the pot. When all vegetables are nice and soft, add in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Sauté lightly and keep it moving, incorporating the tomatoes into the rest of the vegetables.
- Add in the white wine and reduce, turn the heat to medium high, and allow the liquid to reduce by half its volume. It should be a pasty consistency with the tomatoes, vegetables and wine.
- Add fish stock or seasoned water along with the lobster meat. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- When all the vegetables and lobster meat are completely cooked through and the liquid has reduced by about 10%, remove about a cup of the lobster meat and set aside. Transfer small batches of the liquid and leftover lobster meat into a blender and blend on high until it is a totally pureed consistency. With the blender still on high add the neutral oil to add a creamy finish and a glossy sheen to the soup.
- Adjust your seasoning to taste. Along with salt and black or white pepper, Graham likes to add a touch of infused white vinegar.
- Season the bass pieces with salt and pepper and sear off in a pan with a drizzle of canola or olive oil over medium-high heat. Do the same with the prawns, making sure they’re fully cooked. For a nicer finish, split the shells open before you sear them and devein the shrimp keeping the shell intact. (Keeping the shell on adds a lot of flavor!)
- In a separate, wide-bottom pot, pour in a cup of white wine and a half cup of the fish stock. Add in the mussels and steam until they open, about 6 to 10 minutes.
- Ladle a nice serving of the soup into a wide bowl. Top with finely chopped herbes fines. Then gently rest your sea bass skin-side up in the soup, along with one jumbo prawn and three or four mussels. Enjoy! *(If any cooked lobster meat remains, chop and add to each plated dish.)
