The following is my friend's authentic bouillabaisse recipe. Janne lived in France during his youth and learned to cook there; that was the start for his love for eno-gastronomic delights.
[04/12, 13:49] Janne: Every mustachioed Marseilles housewife will have her own "the only and most authentic" version, but this is what I do. Fish, at least two different types, but the more the merrier. I suggest large chunk saltwater fish from the that keep their form when cooked. I like to use salmon and cod, but basically anything will do. Then you need (a good) fish stock, and ripe tomatoes skinned + pulped (or you can cheat and use stuff from a tin/bottle), stock + tomato pulp/puree ratio about 50:50. Veggies: fennel, leek, onion, garlic. For about 1 litre tomato + stock maybe 2 fennels, 1/2 leek, 1 onion, 2 garlic, but you need to experiment + figure out how you like it. Then prawns, big ones, uncooked (frozen uncooked ones are good), and mussels if you want to use them. Plus salt/pepper, saffron, bay leaf, cayenne, parsley.
Method: sweat sliced fennel, leek, and onion in plenty of extra virgin olive oil, when a bit softened (do not brown) add garlic, stock, tomato, saffron, pepper, bay, cayenne, parsley + simmer maybe 15 min. Taste and season as required. Add fish chunks + prawns (do not overcook, they don't need long. maybe 5 min). Then add mussels (or other shellfish you have/want to use), when opened up (takes just a few minutes) soup is ready. Garnish with more parsley and serve. Bouillabaisse is served traditionally with rouille, but I prefer aioli. And a nice crusty bread. Wine recommendation is a light, not too heady white (Petit Chablis is excellent), but a (dry) rose from Provence is also great. A very light red can also work (e.g. Beaujolais)
[04/12, 13:54] Janne: Soup can be pureed in a blender before adding the fish, if you want a smooth jus, but I prefer to have it chunky fennel bits etc.
[04/12, 18:30] Janne: I forgot, soup needs a little dry white wine to give it some more acidity. About a wine glass per litre tom/stock.
A great starter before the bouillabaisse are fresh French oysters.
