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Wine & Food

Provencal Fish Soup with Rouille

by Tamara Murphy

The key to success with this dish is in the selection of seafood: only the freshest will do. The amounts and variety are up to you, but figure about 7 or 8 ounces per person. For visual as well as gustatory interest, select a combination of white fish, salmon and shellfish. In testing the recipe, we used 1/2 pound salmon filet, 1 pound halibut filet, 1/2 pound spot prawns and 1 pound mussels for 6 people.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 leek (white part only), cut in julienne strips
• 1 ounce fennel bulb, cut into thin slivers lengthwise
• Assorted vegetables, depending on the season, such as new potatoes, asparagus, peas, turnips, carrots, etc., cut into attractive shapes
• Fish Fumet (recipe to follow)
• 3 pound fresh fish, prepared in attractive bite-sized pieces (cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble)
• Pinch of saffron
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• 6 toasted French bread croutons Rouille (recipe to follow)

Blanch vegetables until just al dente and set aside. Bring fish fumet to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add selected seafood and vegetables. Poach until fish is just done, 5 to 10 minutes depending on the type of fish. Remove from pot and arrange in large flat soup bowls. Finish broth with saffron, lemon juice, parsley, butter, salt and pepper and ladle over fish. Garnish by floating a toasted French bread crouton topped lavishly with rouille.

Fish Fumet

• 2 pound white fish bones (ask your seafood store for parts for stock)
• 1 onion
• 1 leek (white part only)
• 1 celery rib
• 2-1/2 ounce of fennel bulb
• 7 ounce white wine
• 6 coriander seeds
• 5 black peppercorns
• Sprig of fresh thyme

Rinse fish bones under cold running water. Chop into small, manageable pieces. Peel or trim onions, leeks, celery and fennel. Chop into a small dice. In a large saucepan combine vegetables, wine, spices and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover and allow to sweat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add fish bones and just enough cold water to cover bones. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Be sure to skim any impurities which rise to the surface. Strain through a fine sieve and then strain again through cheesecloth to obtain a clear stock. Makes about 12 cups.

Rouille

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red pepper purée (roast 1/2 red bell pepper on top of grill or gas burner or under broiler until skin blisters, cool, remove skin and seeds and purée in food processor)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup good fruity olive oil

Tamara Murphy

Campagne, which is located just a few steps up the hill from the Pike Place Market, enjoys a view of Elliot Bay, as well as the flower stalls and produce stands of the market. The menu takes its inspiration from the sun-drenched cuisine of Provence, but uses the exquisite produce, seafood and game of the Pacific Northwest. In the summer of 1994, owners Peter and Maria Lewis opened their much-awaited café and charcuterie on Post Alley, just below the restaurant.

Some of Tamara's signature dishes are calamari dusted with ground almonds, sautéed in olive oil and served with fresh thyme and lemon; seafood sausage sautéed and served with a tomato saffron coulis; pissaladière, free-range chicken stuffed under the skin with goat cheese and served with roasted garlic sauce; and scallops, pan-roasted and served on a light potato purée with a green peppercorn, tarragon and lemon nage. All of these creations, like her version of the classic Provençal fish stew which follows, would be outstanding with Pinot Gris.
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