Name: Bouillabaisse (Marseille Charter Compliant, with Rouille)
Cuisine: フレンチ
Ingredients: Scorpionfish (heads, bones, and small fish for soup): 1.5–2 kg in total; Gurnard (for soup and main dish): to taste (included in the total weight above); John Dory (Saint-Pierre, for main dish): to taste; Edomae conger eel (for main dish): to taste; Olive oil: 150–200 ml; Onions (finely chopped): 2 (approx. 400 g); Leek (white part only): 1; Garlic (smashed): 4–5 cloves; Ripe tomatoes: 2 (or tomato paste: 2 tbsp); Fennel bulb: 1; Ricard (pastis/anise liqueur): 30–50 g; Saffron threads: 1 g (a pinch); Potatoes: to taste; Bouquet garni: 1 bunch; Water: 2–2.5 kg; Salt: to taste; [Rouille] Garlic: 3–4 cloves; [Rouille] White part of baguette (soaked in soup) or 1 small boiled and mashed potato (approx. 60 g); [Rouille] Egg yolk: 1; [Rouille] Saffron: to taste; [Rouille] Cayenne pepper: to taste; [Rouille] Extra virgin olive oil: 150–200 g; [Rouille] Hot soup (for finishing): a splash; [For serving] Baguette (thinly sliced): 1 loaf; [For serving] Garlic (for rubbing on croutons): 1 clove

About "Bouillabaisse (Marseille Charter Compliant, with Rouille)"

This recipe faithfully recreates the traditional Bouillabaisse of Marseille, Southern France, in strict accordance with the 1980 Bouillabaisse Charter. Using at least four types of charter-designated rockfish such as scorpionfish, gurnard, John Dory, and conger eel, it creates a rich, golden soup by boiling rapidly to emulsify the fish gelatin with olive oil. The rouille is made the authentic way without any mayonnaise, using a mortar and pestle to emulsify garlic, soup-soaked bread, egg yolk, and olive oil. The traditional 'two-stage service'—serving the soup first, followed by the fish carved tableside—is also recreated exactly as prescribed. Shellfish, cephalopods, and lobsters are strictly forbidden by the charter, as only local rockfish are deemed authentic.

Video Timestamps

Tips for Making "Bouillabaisse (Marseille Charter Compliant, with Rouille)"

Prep
- Cut off all fish fins with kitchen shears. Odors linger around the fins, so removing them is key to a clean soup.
Prep
- Split all fish heads for the soup in half. Chop conger eel and gurnard, separating broth pieces from fillets.
Soup Making
- Sauté onions, leek, and fennel in plenty of olive oil, then add fish trimmings and sauté until slightly browned.
Soup Making
- Add Ricard (anise liqueur) for aroma, then vigorously crush the fish heads with a wooden spatula to extract flavor.
Heat Control
- Boil rapidly on maximum heat for 20 minutes. The intense convection emulsifies the fish collagen and olive oil.
Cooking Fish
- Simmer potatoes for 10 mins, other fish for 8 mins, and delicate John Dory for the last 3 mins for perfect cooking.
Rouille
- Grind garlic, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper in a mortar until they form a completely smooth paste.
Rouille
- Mix soup-soaked bread or mashed potato into the paste, add saffron, and grind until vibrant orange.
Rouille
- Add egg yolk, then slowly drizzle in olive oil while grinding to emulsify. Never use mayo, mustard, or vinegar.
Serving
- Stage 1: Serve only the soup. Spread rouille on garlic-rubbed croutons, float them in the soup, and enjoy.
Serving
- Stage 2: Serve fish and potatoes. Debone tableside, ladle warm soup over them, and apply rouille directly.
Charter Rules
- Shellfish, cephalopods, lobster, salmon, sea bream, and sea bass are banned. Use at least 4 local rockfish.

Ingredients for "Bouillabaisse (Marseille Charter Compliant, with Rouille)"

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Scorpionfish(heads, bones, and small fish for soup): 1.5–2 kg in total
Gurnard(for soup and main dish): to taste (included in the total weight above)
JohnDory (Saint-Pierre, for main dish): to taste
Edomaeconger eel (for main dish): to taste
Oliveoil: 150–200 ml
Onions(finely chopped): 2 (approx. 400 g)
Leek(white part only): 1
Garlic(smashed): 4–5 cloves
Ripetomatoes: 2 (or tomato paste: 2 tbsp)
Fennelbulb: 1
Ricard(pastis/anise liqueur): 30–50 g
Saffronthreads: 1 g (a pinch)
Potatoes:to taste
Bouquetgarni: 1 bunch
Water:2–2.5 kg
Salt:to taste
[Rouille]Garlic: 3–4 cloves
[Rouille]White part of baguette (soaked in soup) or 1 small boiled and mashed potato (approx. 60 g)
[Rouille]Egg yolk: 1
[Rouille]Saffron: to taste
[Rouille]Cayenne pepper: to taste
[Rouille]Extra virgin olive oil: 150–200 g
[Rouille]Hot soup (for finishing): a splash
[Forserving] Baguette (thinly sliced): 1 loaf
[Forserving] Garlic (for rubbing on croutons): 1 clove

How to Make "Bouillabaisse (Marseille Charter Compliant, with Rouille)"

1
[Prep] Cut off all the fins of the fish (scorpionfish, gurnard, John Dory, and conger eel) using kitchen shears. Split all the fish heads for the soup in half. Chop the conger eel and gurnard into chunks, separating the heads, bones, and small fish for the soup from the fillets for the main dish.
2
[Soup Step 1: Sautéing] Pour plenty of olive oil into a pot and sauté the onions, leek, and fennel to release their aromas. Add the fish trimmings and sauté thoroughly until slightly browned on the bottom of the pot.
3
[Soup Step 2: Extracting Flavor] Add the Ricard (anise liqueur) for aroma, then vigorously crush the fish heads with a wooden spatula to extract all their rich flavors.
4
[Soup Step 3: High-Heat Emulsification] Add the water, ripe tomatoes (or tomato paste), and bouquet garni. Turn the heat to maximum and boil rapidly for 20 minutes. The intense convection will emulsify the fish collagen and olive oil, creating a rich, golden soup.
5
[Finishing the Soup] Strain the soup and return it to the pot. Add the saffron to dye it a beautiful golden color, and season with salt to taste.
6
[Rouille Step 1: Garlic Paste] Place the garlic, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper in a mortar and pestle. Grind patiently until the garlic turns into a completely smooth paste.
7
[Rouille Step 2: Adding Bread (or Potato)] Add the white part of the baguette (soaked in warm soup until soft) or the mashed potato to the paste. Add the saffron and grind until it turns a vibrant orange.
8
[Rouille Step 3: Emulsification] Once cooled slightly, add the egg yolk. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream while rotating the pestle to emulsify. Finish by adding a splash of hot soup to adjust the consistency. Never use mayonnaise, mustard, or vinegar.
9
[Cooking the Fish] Add the potatoes to the soup pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Then, add the other fish (conger eel, gurnard, and scorpionfish) except for the John Dory, and simmer for another 8 minutes. Add the John Dory for the final 3 minutes. Staggering the cooking times ensures each fish is cooked to perfection.
10
[Preparing the Croutons] Thinly slice and toast the baguette, then rub a raw garlic clove over the cut surfaces to make garlic croutons.
11
[First-Stage Service] First, serve only the soup in bowls. Spread a generous amount of rouille on the croutons, float them in the soup, and eat as they absorb the broth. Top with grated Gruyère cheese if desired.
12
[Second-Stage Service] After enjoying the soup, serve the fish and potatoes on a large platter. The server debones and portions the fish tableside, ladles warm soup over it, and serves it with rouille spread directly onto the fish.

Detailed Commentary on "Bouillabaisse (Marseille Charter Compliant, with Rouille)"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Traditional Fish and Meticulous Prep

The process begins with prepping the essential fish. We prepare red scorpionfish (a must-have), gurnard, Edomae conger eel, and John Dory (Saint-Pierre). Although John Dory can look hollow once gutted, we use its thick fillets generously. The most crucial prep step is cutting off all the fins with kitchen shears. Fishy odors tend to linger around the fins, so removing them carefully is key to achieving a clean, pure soup. Since the heads are used for the broth, we split them all in half. The conger eel and gurnard are also chopped and separated into pieces for the broth and fillets for the main dish.

Emulsifying the Soup to Concentrate Flavor

For the aromatic base, we use onions, garlic, leek, and fennel, which lends a uniquely sweet aroma. Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a pot and sauté the onions, leek, and fennel in order to release their fragrance. Add the fish trimmings and sauté thoroughly until they are slightly browned on the bottom of the pot. Splash in some Ricard (anise liqueur) for aroma, then vigorously crush the fish heads with a wooden spatula to squeeze out every bit of flavor. Add water, ripe tomatoes, tomato paste, and a bouquet garni, then turn the heat to maximum and boil rapidly for 20 minutes. This intense boiling creates a powerful convection that beautifully emulsifies the fish collagen and olive oil without separation, resulting in a rich, deep golden soup.

Crafting Rouille with a Traditional Mortar

The classic accompaniment to bouillabaisse, rouille sauce, is handcrafted using a traditional marble mortar and pestle. First, place the garlic, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper in the mortar and grind patiently until the garlic is completely pulverized into a paste. Add the white part of the bread, which has been soaked in the warm soup to soften, and generously add saffron, grinding until it turns a vibrant orange. Once cooled, add the egg yolk and slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream while rotating the pestle to emulsify. While rouille is often substituted with mayonnaise, the authentic version contains no vinegar acidity and melts seamlessly into the hot soup the moment it is added.

Staggered Cooking to Respect Each Fish

Once the soup is dyed a beautiful golden hue with saffron and seasoned with salt, it is time to cook the fish. First, add the potatoes, which take the longest to cook, and simmer for 10 minutes. Next, add the other fish (conger eel, gurnard, and scorpionfish) and simmer for another 8 minutes. Since John Dory is delicate and cooks quickly, add it only for the final 3 minutes. By carefully staggering the timing based on the characteristics of each fish, every variety is cooked to its plumpest, most tender, and absolute best state.

The Two-Stage Marseille Service Style

According to the charter, authentic bouillabaisse must be served in two distinct stages. In the first stage, only the rich soup is served. Guests spread a generous amount of homemade rouille onto toasted baguette slices rubbed with raw garlic, float them in the soup, and enjoy them as they absorb the broth. Grated Gruyère cheese can be added to taste. In the second stage, the perfectly poached fish and potatoes are presented on a large platter. The head waiter (maître d'hôtel) debones and portions the fish right before the guests' eyes, ladles warm soup over it, and serves it with rouille spread directly onto the fish—this is the true, proud style of Marseille.

The Tradition Guarded by the Charter

Established in 1980, the Bouillabaisse Charter is a set of strict rules created by Marseille chefs to protect their local heritage from commercialization and cheap imitations. The charter dictates that red scorpionfish is mandatory, and at least four types of designated local rockfish, such as gurnard and John Dory, must be used. Conversely, adding shellfish like mussels and clams, or cephalopods like squid and octopus—often associated with bouillabaisse abroad—is strictly forbidden as a violation of tradition. Non-Mediterranean seafood like lobster, salmon, sea bream, or sea bass is also prohibited. This charter encapsulates the pride of a fisherman's soul food: transforming humble local rockfish into a sublime soup through high-heat boiling and the aroma of saffron.

[The Pride of Marseille] The True Bouillabaisse Protected by the Charter [45-Min Complete Guide]