Today bouillabaisse soup menu includes upmarket restaurants and is considered one of the iconic French cuisine French . Meanwhile, as many famous dishes, soup, this is a purely national origin: first it was once the fishermen began to boil from the remains of their catch. Today, many specially go to Marseille to try the famous soup, and then prepare it at home by yourself.

A little history

History has not preserved the name of the cook, who first cooked bouillabaisse - this dish is truly national. Came up with his sailors, hunted fishing. By evening, they were not always able to completely sell off their catch, and not to throw away the fish they cooked himself a delicious, nutritious and at the same time cheap soup.

As for the preparation of foods used each time different fish, single recipe Bouillabaisse never existed. If business was good, the soup was only a few fishes but a handful of shrimp. If buyers were few, and the remnants of the goods lot, the soup gets a more "rich" multi-component.

Over time, the soup became popular first in France and then abroad. There was a legend that the bouillabaisse was fed once her husband Hephaestus ancient goddess Aphrodite. Tourists specifically come to Marseille to enjoy the legendary dish. And, of course, it affected the cost of meals. Because of the poor food bouillabaisse became a luxury dish for cooking which began to use expensive rare varieties of fish and seafood. Today dish Bouillabaisse Marseille in a good restaurant can cost up to two hundred euros.

The origin of the name of the original soup is not known. There is a legend that soup gave his name to one of its inventors. There is also a version that the name "Bouillabaisse" comes from the French verb "to boil" and "reduce the fire", that is, in the name of the soup is encrypted technology of its preparation.

Variations

The number of required ingredients included soup, of course, all sorts of varieties of fish, vegetables (tomatoes, onions, garlic), sometimes - seafood (mussels, calamari, shrimp). Bouillabaisse seasoned with saffron, orange peel and other spices. Fish soup should be a lot: more than a kilogram of live weight for each consumer. Bouillabaisse - thick, rich soup, almost as thick as the classic stew.

From other fish soup bouillabaisse is particularly the technology of cooking: before laying in the water the vegetables are fried in oil and stew. In addition, for bouillabaisse you need to use a lot of different varieties of fish and seafood.

Among the many soup recipes, and the most famous Norman Marseille bouillabaisse. Their main difference is that Marseille bouillabaisse is simply a rich soup of different species of fish, and Norman version also added potatoes.

It is believed that the real Marseille bouillabaisse can be prepared only from this fish which can be caught in the vicinity of Marseille. In expensive restaurants located away from Marseilles, desired varieties of fish are delivered by plane. However, bouillabaisse cooked directly in Marseille, still considered as the best, if only because it is used for its preparation of the freshest fish.

The use of authentic varieties of fish such as sunfish, gurnard or sea scorpion, preferably, but not necessarily. No less delicious bouillabaisse can be prepared from other species, the main thing - to use a different fish, at least five, and preferably ten varieties. The secret of the amazing taste lies precisely in multicomponent bouillabaisse.

The Art of Cooking

The cooking Bouillabaisse there is nothing particularly complicated. The first step is to prepare the broth. For it can be used as fish waste (heads, tails, fins) as well as a cheap and small fish. When the broth is cooked, it is necessary to drain, and the fish from which it was cooked, discard.

The ready-rich broth add spices. You will need a small bag of clean muslin or cheesecloth usual. The bag is put coarsely chopped orange peel, black pepper, bay leaf, saffron, thyme and basil. The pouch should be tightly tie and dipped in hot broth, where it will remain until the end of cooking.

The bouillabaisse is required to put the vegetables - a couple of onions, a few cloves of garlic and a couple of tomatoes without skin (you can use canned tomatoes). Onions and garlic should be chopped and fry in olive oil, then add to the mashed tomatoes, a little put out, pour a glass of dry white wine, then add the fish broth.

Then comes the next step of cooking the soup: In the boiling broth with vegetables laying large pieces of fish of different varieties and cook until tender. Five minutes before the end of cooking seafood bouillabaisse should be placed. After that you should pull out of the bag broth with herbs - and the soup is ready.

Terms servings

Traditionally bouillabaisse served with croutons, which are dipped in hot sauce Rui, and white wine. Crackers perfectly set off the taste of the soup, and when combined with spicy sauce gives it an original flavor and color.

Rui sauce made from garlic, hot pepper, salt, olive oil and fresh egg yolks. The special flavor of the sauce that gives saffron. The greater the use of garlic, the more acute the dish will turn out, and the tastier it becomes. But it must be borne in mind that for a romantic date Romantic date: how to spend an unforgettable meeting   bouillabaisse, generously flavored with garlic sauce, hardly suitable. It is not necessary to get acquainted with this dish, and those who are allergic to garlic or a sick stomach.

Without urgent filling bouillabaisse can be considered light, almost dietetic meal Dietary food: what goes with what and why . Fish and seafood are easily digested, but it does not lead to weight gain, or feeling of heaviness in the stomach. This soup is perfectly refreshes and helps fight fatigue.

Maria Bykov

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