Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille. The French and English form bouillabaisse comes from the Provençal word bolhabaissa [ˌbujaˈbajsɔ], a compound that consists of the two verbs bolhir (to boil) and abaissar (to reduce).
Bouillabaisse is usually a fish stock containing different kinds of cooked fish and shellfish. These are complemented with a variety of herbs and spices such as garlic, orange peel, basil, bay leaf, fennel and saffron. Classically, there are usually a dozen or so kinds of sea food such as monkfish, weever, mullet, mussels, conger eel and bullrout; other kinds of fish may also 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. For example, in Marseille intense arguments rage between different restaurants, all of whom claim to make "authentic Bouillabaisse."
The stew and the fish are usually served in separate bowls, with the stew poured over slices of French bread seasoned with a spicy sauce of bread crumbs, olive oil, and chilis called rouille, although sometimes an aioli is served. 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.
The origins of the dish date back to the time of the Ancient Greeks, when they founded 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.
Pop culture
- In the 1966 James Bond spoof, Our Man Flint, starring James Coburn, an analysis of the key components of traces of bouillabaisse provides a vital clue for tracking down an assassin.
- B-Boy Bouillabaisse is the title of the final track on the Beastie Boys' 1989 album Paul's Boutique. The reason for the use of Bouillabaisse in the title is due to the track being a medley of 9 short songs strung together.
- Steven Seagal's most successful film Under Siege features Seagal as a ship's cook on the USS Missouri preparing a pot of bouillabaisse when a band of mercenaries seize control of the ship.
See also