I, Lobster: A Crustacean Odyssey

Chapter 13 | Lobster Onstage: Recipes

Even in a perfect world there would not and should not be a definitive recipe for bouillabaisse.We should have freedom of choice, excluding the omission of lobster. The best course of action is to follow an admirable, trustworthy authority, so here is the poet of appetites, as she’s been called: M. F. K. Fisher. Her bouillabaisse recipe was published in The Cooking of Provincial France in 1968,1 which was part of the same Time-Life series that carried Claiborne ’s“stately” homard à la Parisienne. Fisher’s bouillabaisse has four parts: (1) stock,or court bouillon; (2) soup that is made by cooking lobster and fish in the strained court bouillon; (3) croûtes, rounds of toasted French bread flavored with olive oil and garlic; and (4) rouille, a peppery hot sauce served as a side dish. Both the croûtes and the rouille can be prepared while the court bouillon and soup are cooking. An Adaptation of M. F. K. Fisher’s Bouillabaisse2 court Bouillon 2 cups thinly sliced onions 1 cup thinly sliced leeks (or another cup of onions)¾ cup olive oil 8 cups water or 2 cups dry white wine and 6 cups water 2 pounds fish heads, bones and trimmings [or equivalent in whole fish] 3 pounds coarsely chopped ripe tomatoes (about 6 cups)½ cup fresh fennel or ½ teaspoon dried fennel seeds, crushed 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 1 three-inch strip fresh orange peel 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 parsley sprigs 1 bay leaf Lobster Onstage Recipes Lobster Onstage , 193¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste In a heavy 4- to 6-quart saucepan, cook onions (and leeks, if used) in oil over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. They should be tender but not brown (additional onions may be substituted for the leeks). Add liquids, fish, tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings, and cook uncovered over moderate heat for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a large, fine sieve into a soup pot or kettle, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract juices before discarding remaining solids. soup 2 lobsters, 1½-pounds each, cut up and cracked3 1½ pounds each of three kinds of firm white fish cut into 2-inch serving pieces (choose from halibut, red snapper, bass, haddock, Pollack, hake, cod, yellow pike, lake trout, whitefish, rockfish, etc.) 1 eel, cut in 2-inch pieces (optional) 2 pounds live mussels (optional) 2 pounds fresh or frozen sea scallops cut in halves or quarters (optional) Bring the strained court bouillon to a boil over high heat. Add the lobster. Boil briskly for 5 minutes, add the fish (and eel, if you wish), and cook another 5 minutes. Finally add the mussels and scallops (optional), and boil for 5 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning. croûtes 12 to 16 1-inch thick slices of French bread 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, cut 1 cup grated, imported Swiss cheese or Swiss and freshly grated Parmesan combined Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the slices of bread in one layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. With a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of each slice with olive oil. Then turn the slices over and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the 194 , i , l o b s t e r bread is completely dry and lightly browned. Rub each slice with the cut garlic and set aside.4 rouille 2 small green peppers, seeded and cut into small squares 1 dry chili pepper, or a few drops Tabasco added to the finished sauce 1 cup water 2 canned pimentos, drained and dried 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 to 3 tablespoons fine, dry bread crumbs In a 6- to 8-cup saucepan, simmer green peppers and chili pepper (optional) in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain thoroughly and dry with paper towels. Mash peppers, pimentos, and garlic to a smooth paste, using either a mortar and pestle or a mixing bowl and wooden spoon. Slowly beat in olive oil and enough bread crumbs to make the sauce thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon. Taste and season with Tabasco if you have omitted the chili pepper. Alternate: Combine peppers, pimento, garlic, and olive oil in a blender. Blend at low speed until...