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Bouillabaisse, Creole - Style
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| What You Need: |
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2 large garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 fresh parsley sprigs, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
1 small bay leaf, crumbled
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1½ teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2½ pounds redfish or red snapper fillets, with skin intact, cut into 6 equal portions
12 medium-sized uncooked shrimp (about ½ pound)
1 cup finely chopped onions
A 1-pound can tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cups freshly made fish stock
¼ teaspoon crumbled dried saffron threads or ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)
12 medium-sized shucked oysters (about ½ pint)
4 to 6 cups freshly cooked white rice
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| How To Cook: |
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1. With a mortar and pestle or in a small bowl with the back of a spoon, crush the garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, allspice and ½ teaspoon of the salt to a smooth paste, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil.
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2. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle them with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Spread the garlic paste over the flesh side of each fillet, dividing it evenly among them, and set the fish aside.
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3. Shell the shrimp. Devein them by making a shallow incision down their backs with a small sharp knife and lifting out the black or white intestinal vein with the point of the knife. Wash the shrimp briefly in a colander set under cold running water and put them aside to drain.
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4. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent but not brown.
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5. Place the fish fillets, skin side down, on top of the onions, cover the skillet tightly and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes, or until the fish is firm and opaque. With a wide metal spatula, transfer the fillets to a plate and reserve them.
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6. Add the tomatoes, fish stock, saffron and red pepper to the onion mixture remaining in the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Stirring occasionally, cook briskly until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups and is thick enough to hold its shape lightly in the spoon.
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7. Return the fish fillets to the skillet, add the oysters and shrimp, and spoon the sauce over the seafood to moisten it evenly. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet tightly and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and firm to the touch and the oysters plump up and begin to curl at the edges.
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8. Taste for seasoning. With a slotted spatula or spoon, arrange the fish fillets, shrimp and oysters attractively on a deep heated platter. Pour the sauce remaining in the skillet over the seafood and serve at once, accompanied by the rice in a separate bowl.
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