Buffalo Rising's monthly Sunday Suppers feature focuses on delicious one-pot recipes that utilize local products. Even better, these recipes are offered to us by area chefs, who are passionate about using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. In co-operation with our partner, Slow Food Buffalo, this month we're pleased to present you with a zesty recipe from Chef Chris Silverstein, owner of Lagniappes, located in Buffalo's own Allentown.
Bouillabaisse (boo-yah-base) is on the menu today, but not just any old bouillabaisse. This recipe is for Louisiana Bouillabaisse, whose style is in keeping with that of Chef Silverstein's cozy little New Orleans influenced restaurant.
Traditional Bouillabaisse hails from Marseilles, France. The name comes from the process by which the flavorful fish stew is made. The ingredients are not added all at once; the all-important fish broth is brought to a boil (bouillir) and then each of the three (or more) types of fish are added one by one, each time the broth being allowed to come full boil before the heat is reduced (abaisser). With Louisiana Bouillabaisse, the variation of fish is limited, making it a more reasonably priced dinner option for those of us who don't live near the sea. Additionally, it does not call for a rouille (a paste of bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil and chilies) like its French counterpart, and the cooking process differs as well, making preparation all the simpler.
For this recipe we ventured to Broadway Seafood for fresh fish and shellfish trucked in from Manhattan by owner Steve Lee. He visits the massive fish warehouses there on the city docks multiple times a week, returning to Buffalo with heaps of the good stuff. If you’d like, he’ll even clean the fish for you while you wait. At Broadway Seafood the prices are hard to beat and the fish was fresher than that we were able to find at the supermarket. Chef Silverstein has selected a variety of fish and seafood for this recipe, but keep in mind that what's fresh is always what's best. Feel free to improvise based on what's available from your fishmonger, with the knowledge that lean fish is the ideal choice for any bouillabaisse recipe.
Chef Silverstein says that the real trick to making this Sunday (or any day) supper its best is to take the time to make it correctly. He suggests that homemade fish stock is the way to go, but for those of us in a hurry, a prepared substitute from the supermarket is acceptable. “This dish requires care. Too many people use a weak stock as the base, and to compensate they will cook all of the seafood together and hope that it straightens out the stock. Most of all, if you want this dish to be at its best, take your time to make the broth properly. Cook each of the proteins separately, and you will be rewarded.”
Louisiana Bouillabaisse serves 6-8
1/2 lb sea scallops · 1 lb medium to large shrimp, shelled and de-veined · 1 lb mussels, scrubbed well, beards removed · 3/4 lb red snapper fillet · 3/4 lb monkfish fillets (or other white fish such as halibut or grouper) · 1/4 lb whole crayfish (available at Asian markets) · 1/2 lb crayfish tails · 1/4 lb unsalted butter · 4 oz olive oil · 4 garlic cloves, minced · 1 onion, diced · 1 carrot, diced · 1/2 leek, diced · 1/2 celery stalk, diced · 1/2 cup dry white wine · 6 cups fish stock · 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped · 1 small can tomato paste · 20 threads of saffron ·2 small potatoes, peeled and diced · 1/4 cup chervil, chopped · salt and pepper to taste
Wash and clean the seafood. Cut shrimp, snapper and monkfish into large pieces. Place each type of seafood into individual ovenproof dishes. To make the broth: Add the butter and olive oil to a large pot. Sweat garlic, onion, carrot, leek, and celery, until soft
and translucent, but not brown. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine to the
mixture and simmer until the volume is reduced by half. Add cold water to the pot to cover the vegetables and bring to a simmer. Add the fish stock, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, saffron threads, chervil and freshly crushed black pepper to taste. Simmer, skimming regularly. After 45 minutes, add potatoes. After an additional 45 minutes, strain the broth, return the potatoes and liquid to the pot and simmer until desired consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Once the broth is complete, ladle it into the baking dishes, thoroughly covering the contents. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through and the mussels have opened. Discard any unopened mussels. Add seafood and sauce from each pan to a serving bowl. Serve immediately, accompanied by a slice of hearty bread.
Lagniappes
244 Allen Street, Buffalo 14201
716.883.3663
Broadway Seafood
The Broadway Market
999 Broadway, Buffalo, 14212
716.893.1050