THIS would have to be one of the quickest and easiest ways to make Bouillabaisse. Seafood is glorious cooked in a bouillabaisse because it retains its flavour and texture. The green prawns and scallops are added at the very end of the cooking process - the hot stock retains enough heat to cook them perfectly.
Use a firm fish, such as flake or cod, for the white fish fillets and snapper is great to use as the red fish in this taste of France.

The Bouillabaisse
2 pinches saffron threads
12 mussels in the shell, cleaned
2 tablespoons Bertolli olive oil
2 onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 litre fish stock
1/2 cup white wine
250g boneless white fish fillets
250g boneless red fish fillets
250g squid rings and tentacles
500g green prawns, peeled and deveined
12 scallops, roe on
freshly ground salt and pepper
1 baguette, sliced and toasted

The Rouille
1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chilli paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
125ml olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt

To make the rouille, put the egg yolk, garlic, chilli paste and tomato paste in a food processor and blend. Add the olive oil, a little at a time (as if you were making mayonnaise). When the mixture in the food processor is very thick, blend in the lemon juice, season to taste with salt and transfer to a small serving bowl.
To make the Bouillabaisse, soak the saffron threads in a little boiling water for about thirty minutes. The saffron and the water in which they have been soaked will all go into the soup. Steam the mussels in a little white wine for a few minutes, discarding any that do not open.
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onions in the pan until golden and softened. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute. Pour the hot stock, white wine and saffron into the pan. Bring to the boil and cook for ten minutes. Reduce the heat and add the red fish fillets, white fish fillets and squid to the pot. Return the heat to a simmer. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the green prawns, scallops and steamed mussels to the simmering soup and remove from the heat. Place a lid on the pot and allow to stand for a couple of minutes before serving.
Serve the Bouillabaisse with the toasted baguette and the rouille. Excellent served with a Mount Tamborine Semillon and a hearty appetite. (Seafood supplied by Sams Seafoods, Hamilton.)