A comforting dish that blends a French preparation with a little greek love. This dish is typically prepared with seafood, but it tastes wonderful with the chicken.  I used fresh roasted tomatoes rather than relying on canned tomatoes.  I think the flavor is so much  better, and it is relatively easy to roast your own.  The fennel and ouzo add a great flavor to the sauce and the rouille is a nice finish just before serving.  Slice a nice baguette to help you soak up any remaining sauce!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

for bouillabaisse:

  • 3 -4 pounds skin on chicken pieces (breasts, thighs or drumsticks)
  • 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 fennel bulb, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, fine chop
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, plus more for garnish
  • 1-2  teaspoons herbes de Provence, plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 1/2 lbs campari tomatoes
  • 3-4 tablespoons ouzo
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 package beef kielbasa (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
  • fennel fronds for garnish

for rouille:

  • 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup cooking liquid
  • 1 cooked potato from bouillabaisse

Directions:

 for bouillabaisse:

Preheat oven to 425.  Toss tomatoes with a couple tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper and place on a large baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 25-30 minutes until tomatoes release their juices.  Remove from oven and when cooled slightly, transfer tomatoes to a food processor along with juices and process until smooth (you should have about 2 cups).  While tomatoes are roasting. chop your vegetables and sear chicken.  Using a heavy bottomed  enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven,  heat a tablespoon of olive oil.  Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper.  Sear chicken on either side until a nice brown crust forms (about 7 minutes a side).  Make sure there is plenty of space for each chicken piece to get a good sear.  Remove chicken and add sausage to pan and cook for about 2 minutes a side. Place sausage aside with chicken and add sliced shallots, garlic, carrots and fennel to the pan along with saffron, herbes de Provence and fennel seed, salt and pepper  Sauté on medium heat until vegetables are tender and fragrant (about 5 minutes).

Add the chicken, sausage and potatoes back to the pan along with pureed roasted tomatoes, ouzo, and 1 cup of stock to the casserole. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover p and simmer over low heat until the potatoes and chicken are cooked through (about 30-35 minutes)are half-cooked, 25 minutes. Keep warm.

 

 for the rouille:

In a food processor, process 1 cooked potato wedge, mayonnaise, garlic, seasonings and 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the stew.  With the machine running, add the olive oil  and process until smooth and creamy. Season to taste.

to serve:

Garnish the bouillabaisse with additional fennel fronds just before serving and sprinkle with an additional half teaspoon of fennel seal and sprinkle with herbes de Provence if desired.  Place bouillabaisse in shallow serving bowls drizzled with rouille on top and enjoy!