Recipe for Bourride | Fish soup of Provence

Of all the fish soups I make, I love this recipe for bourride the best because it’s simple and quick to make. You can use any fish you like, though the classic dish is made with lotte (monkfish), says Suzanne Dunnaway.

I use a fish stock that begins with shrimp heads and tiny green crabs that make the famous dish of the Pyrenees, soupe de poisson, so pungent and rich. But you may use any fish stock you have on hand. I suppose you could call this Bouillairide! Bouillaibaisse and bourride in a perfect marriage.

Bourride is filling. A nice green salad and good bread are all you need.

Recipe for bourride

1/2 cup olive oil
2 sweet onions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced.
2 pounds of monk fish, cut into serving pieces
4 potatoes sliced thin or in small dice
6 fresh tomatoes, crushed
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4-6 cups of rich fish stock or use a little chicken broth, to cover
One big pinch of saffron
One large handful of parsley chopped fine
The juice of a lemon
Sliver of orange or tangerine skin (optional)
Sprig of fresh thyme
Salt to taste
Pinch of cayenne or one small hot pepper

A bunch of coriander, chopped fine (optional but oh, so good)

Simply place everything in a large pan. Bring to the boil and let it simmer until it smells incredible.

Serve with rouille on toasted French bread slices.

Suzanne Dunnaway is the author of No Need To Knead, Handmade ItalianBreads in 90 Minutes (Hyperion); Rome, At Home, The Spirit of la cucina romana in Your Own Kitchen (Broadway Books); No Need to Knead (Metric/American version-Grub Street Publishers, London).