Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille. Its name comes from the two French words bouillir (to boil), and abaisser (to reduce).

Bouillabaisse is usually a simple fish stock containing different kinds of cooked fish and possibly shellfish. This is complemented with a variety of herbs and spices such as garlic, chillies, bay leaves, fennel and saffron. Classically, fish is salted cod (from which one must remove the salt before preparing the dish), but other kinds of fish may be used. Vegetables such as leeks, onions, tomatoes and celery are boiled together to produce a rich flavour. The exact proportions vary by cook and region.

The stew and the fish are usually served in separate bowls, with the stew poured over slices of French bread seasoned with a spicy type of aioli (garlic mayonnaise) called rouille. Bouillabaisse is often only served when there are large groups of people, as it is time-consuming to prepare and some of its ingredients may be expensive; it is also generally available from restaurants along the coasts of Provence.

Origins for the simple fare date back to the time of the Ancient Greeks, when they founded the Provençal town Marseille in 600 BC. Then, the population ate a simple fish stew known in Greek as 'kakavia.' Bouillabaisse also appears in Roman mythology: it is the soup that Venus fed to Vulcan, to lull him to sleep, so that she could cavort with the god Mars.

French cuisine | Stews | Provence

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