bouillabaisse inspired seafood soup
Printed From: Foods of the World Forum
Category: The US and Canada
Forum Name: The Pacific Northwest and Alaska
Forum Discription: The Pacific Northwest and Alaska
URL: http://foodsoftheworld.ActiveBoards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=4492
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 18:10
Topic: bouillabaisse inspired seafood soup
Posted By: pitrow
Subject: bouillabaisse inspired seafood soup
Date Posted: 06 October 2015 at 10:28
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First, I'm not entirely sure what category to put this under. It's inspired by French bouillabaisse, but it's a recipe my Dutch mother came up with while living in the US. So for now it's in the pacific northwest section. Ron, feel free to move it as you see fit. Second, I'm hesitant to call this bouillabaisse, for several reasons. First, a true Marseilles Bouillabaisse would have at least three types of white fish in it. Second, traditionally a bouillabaisse is served as a broth, with the fish separate and then the two are combined. I suppose you could do that with this, but it'd be rather hard to fish out (pun intended) the pieces of fish, just to add them back at the table. Finally, bouillabaisse is often served with a rouille (sort of a spicy mayonnaise) spread on thick slices of bread and floated in the bouillabaisse. While this could be added to this recipe, we never did so I won't include it. As you'll be able to tell from the simple ingredients, this recipe was created by my mother when our little family was less financially stable than it is now. No doubt it was an attempt to provide variety of diet and a link to the great bouillabaisse she must have enjoyed in Europe before leaving, while trying to stay within the confines of a limited budget. And I have to say that it worked spectacularly. I still very much enjoy this recipe to this day, and though simple, it still packs enough flavor to satisfy. Ingredients: vegetable oil 1/4 cup celery stalks, sliced 1 small onion, sliced 1 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed 2 tbsp chili sauce 10 oz (1.25 cups) hot water 1 can tomato soup (condensed) 1 can clams (with juice) 4 oz shrimp 1/4 tsp each: marjoram, thyme and basil (dried) 1 lb whitefish (whatever is cheap), cut into bite sized pieces Directions: Heat a small amount of oil in a pot and cook the celery, onion and garlic until tender. Do not brown. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes or until the fish is done. ------------- Mike http://lifeinpitrow.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow - Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
Replies:
Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 06 October 2015 at 13:30
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....First, a true Marseilles Bouillabaisse would have at least three types of white fish in it One of which is found only in the waters off the coast of southern France. So replicating it is actually impossible. If names are important I'd say this was closer to a cioppino than a bouillabaisse. But the end result is in the tasting. If it's good, whoo cares what you call it. ------------- But we hae meat and we can eat And sae the Lord be thanket |
Posted By: pitrow
Date Posted: 06 October 2015 at 14:18
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I agree. I think cioppino is probably closer, though I thought those typically used wine in the broth. Either way, I think it could probably be adapted to either direction if you chose to go that way, but personally I'll leave it right where it's at and be happy with it. :) ------------- Mike http://lifeinpitrow.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow - Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 06 October 2015 at 20:32
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a) Pacific Northwest is the perfect place for it, since it is your family's recipe and not distinctly part of a specific region. b) It looks delicious! I'd be very tempted to try this, and now that I think of it, I have almost all ingredients on hand, including the clams! This might be a possible lunch for the coming weekend, depending on the weather and the family schedule ~ Thanks for posting, Mike - more than anything, this site is about "grandmother recipes," and since I happen to know that your mother is also a grandmother, this soup assumes a special and treasured place here on the forum! Please give her our regards and our appreciation!  ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 07 October 2015 at 08:26
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Can I hear an Amen! ------------- But we hae meat and we can eat And sae the Lord be thanket |
Posted By: pitrow
Date Posted: 02 March 2016 at 15:25
I made up a batch of this tonight to eat on Friday, being Lent and all. It really tastes great after its had a day or so for the flavored to meld. Hopefully the wife doesn't yell at me when she gets home. She can't stand the smell of this cooking.  ------------- Mike http://lifeinpitrow.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow - Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 04 March 2016 at 19:04
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Looks wonderful, Mike - thanks for posting! If I ever make it over there to visit, I'd love to have a bowl of that...after some of your http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/smoked-salmon_topic1685.html - smoked salmon ! ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 April 2016 at 15:49
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Lovely .. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: pitrow
Date Posted: 20 August 2018 at 14:08
So I've never had cioppino before, and despite living in proximity to the coast I'm not sure I've ever even seen it on a menu before. Except may once in Seattle. Anyway, I was in Walmart a few weeks ago and spotted a box labelled cioppino in the frozen section, so naturally I grabbed it to compare. After having tasted it for lunch today I'd say without a doubt that cioppino is what this recipe most closely resembles. The store bought stuff has more shellfish than this recipe, including scallops, mussels and shrimp, and no vegetables, but the flavor of the broth is almost exactly the same. Maybe slightly more 'fishy'/mineral that I attribute to the mussels (which are also something I've never had before) but in all it's really close. I do have to say I miss the addition of onions and celery though.
------------- Mike http://lifeinpitrow.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow - Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
HistoricFoodie wrote:Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 20 August 2018 at 14:29
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I would agree, Mike - The celery and especially the onions would have to be in there for me, as well. If you want to explore Cioppino a little bit more, I'd highly recommend Dave's adaptation, which I tried and really enjoyed: http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/cioppino_topic3967.html The interesting thing about this recipe is that Dave used fennel in it, along with celery, and it really made for a good and unique flavor that went very well with the seafood and the tomatoes. Another recipe that is worth looking at and considering can be found here: http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/cioppino_topic192.html This one is from Time/Life's Foods of the World - American Cooking: The Great West (1971). Looking at it now I notice that they also omit any celery, but I'd be tempted to add a little anyway, if I made it. Serve with some freshly-baked sourdough, and you're all set! ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 August 2018 at 15:05
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French Bouillabaisse: I lived in Marseille while working on re editing a French Author´s book for 6 months and I had eaten Bouillabaisse quite frequently .. The basic récipe is quite different from the San Francisco Cioppino .. which I had many years ago while travelling there during the late 1970s while at university .. Here is one of uncountable Bouillabaisse récipes .. 6 large red ripe tomatoes 500 grams of extra large prawns 1 lobster 2 heads of fish ( For the fish broth ) 250 ml. White wine from Provençe 3 shallots 3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced 3 bay leaves 60 ml. French Provençal Evoo 1 large leek 60 grams of tomato paste ( San Marzano ) Orange Zest from 1 small orange 500 grams of White fish of locality and season 12 mussels 200 grams of sea scallops 30 grams of fresh Italian parsley 15 grams of Genovese Basil leaves Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste The dish is served in two courses .. The sea snails are served with Mayonaise from scratch with a sauce boat of the mayo .. Then the Seafood soup - stew .. It is impossible to replicate exactly however, it can be prepared with a wide assortment of fish depending on seasonal availability .. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |