Recipe: Bourride (Provencal fish soup)

This recipe is from Low-Fat One-Dish Meals from around the World.

Bourride

A traditional Provencal fish soup traditionally served with aioli, a garlic mayonnaise. Here is a potent but leaner version. The bourride should be served in a large bowl, with a slice of toasted French bread, called a croute, on the bottom, a piece of fish on it, the soup ladled over the top, and a dollop of aioli over all. This meal is somewhat complicated to prepare, but well worth the effort.

3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped leek
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground saffron
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
2 cup s cubed peeled potato
4 cups Fish Stock (recipe follows)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 pounds of at least 3 kinds of firm, white fish fillets, such as haddock, porgy, cod, sole, perch, rockfish, pollack, or halibut, but into 2-inch pieces
8 slices French bread

Slender Aioli
1 Tablespoon fine dried breadcrumbs
4 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the onion, celery, leek, garlic, saffron, bay leaf, wine, potato, stock, cayenne, salt and ground pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the aioli. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and garlic and mash them to a smooth paste. Stir in the mayonnaise, yogurt, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Puree the cooked soup in the food processor until smooth. Place the fish pieces in the bottom of the saucepan, pour in the pureed soup, and simmer until the fish is cooked (about 5 minutes).

Preheat oven to 325.

Toast the French bread by placing it in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes on each side.

Transfer the cooked fish to a heated serving dish or tureen. Whisk 1 cup of the aioli into the hot soup. Heat thoroughly but do not boil. Serve as described above, putting a dab of the remaining aioli on each serving and passing the rest. Serves 8.

Fish Stock

2 1/2 pounds heads and bones of firm-fleshed white fish, cleaned of blood and cut into 2-inch pieces
6 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium stalks celery, with tops, chopped
6 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cups clam juice, optional

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for about 1 hour. Strain. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts.

Microwave version:

Use 2 pounds fish heads and bones, 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, but into 1-inch lengths, the seasonings given above and 5 cups liquid. Place everything in a 2-at. souffl dish, cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap and cook on high for 20 minutes. Remove from the microwave and leave covered until the bubbling stops (about 3 minutes.) Uncover carefully and strain.