Bouillabaisse in a Bag with Rouille

My loyal readers should know by now what a sucker I am for a gorgeous cookbook, especially one with drool worthy photos!!!

So it should come as no surprise when I tell you that when they recently offered a free copy of "Delicious Simply the Best Cookbook" when subscribing to Delicious Magazine - I said yes immediately!!!  I offer let my subscriptions lapse just so I can see what offers they will entice me with!!!  I have received many free cookbooks this way - a girl can never have too many, now can she???

The other day when the postman came and delivered my anxiously awaited parcel, let me tell you I had that envelope open before I had even left the letterbox!!!  My mouth was seriously salivating before going more than 20 pages into the book.  This book was full of serious food porn!!  Every page a beautiful full page photo - I couldn't wait to start cooking!!!

One of the first dishes that caught my attention was the one entitled Bouillabaisse in a Bag - my second love after food porn, is of course seafood!!!  This recipe looked right up my alley - and so simple too.  I ummed and aaghed  about how I was going to actually make it.  I did think about steaming it (in the varoma on my Thermomix) - but then decided as I already had the oven going making fresh bread I would just go ahead and cook it in the oven as the recipe suggested.  I did, however, make a couple of little alterations along the way (what did you expect?)

Bouillabaisse in a Bag
Adapted from Delicious Simply the Best Cookbook by Valli Little

Serves 3-4 (depending on how much you love seafood!!!)

12 green prawns, peeled, (tails intact, deveined
350g skinless, boneless white fish (I used Marlin)
350g skinless, boneless salmon fillet
12 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
12 cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a tomato medley)
1 cup podded broad beans, blanched, and peeled
1 cup frozen baby peas
1 cup dill sprigs
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle


Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

To prepare the parcels lay out 2 sheets of foil for each package that you are making.  Place one sheet horizontally, and one piece vertically (you want them to form a cross).

Divide the seafood, tomatoes, beans, peas, 3/4 of the dill, and the lemon slices among the parcels.  Drizzle with the white wine and a little olive oil.  Seal the parcels, by gathering up the sides, and securing the tops well.  Add an additional layer of foil if necessary to ensure a tightly sealed package.

Place the parcels in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the seafood is just cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Now here is where I made another deviation to the recipe.  Valli suggested that you serve the dish with an aioli and boiled potatoes.

I decided that because I had lovely fresh bread that the potatoes were unnecessary, and I really didn't feel like an aioli, so instead I made a rouille.

What is a rouille you may ask??  A rouille (rhymes with bluey) is basically a mayonnaise type sauce, but with colour and texture.  The word rouille is french for rust - so it gets it's name from the deep red colour that the chillies and capsicum give to the mayo.  The textured part comes from breadcrumbs.  Typically it is used to enhance a bouillabaisse, but can also be served with roasted meats.  I am so glad I went with my gut instinct on this one - it was the perfect match for this dish!!!

Rouille
From Meat on The Menu, Thermomix Cookbook

70g stale breadcrumbs
60g water
200g roasted red capsicum, deseeded and peeled (approximately 2 capsicums)
1 long red chilli
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg yolk
1 tbs lemon juice
sea salt to taste
60-80g extra virgin olive oil

Place the breadcrumbs into water in a small bowl and allow them to soak for several minutes.

Place the capsicum, chilli, garlic and cayenne pepper into the TM bowl, blend for 10 seconds on speed 7.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Squeeze the excess moisture out of the bread using your hands.  Place the bread into the TM bowl along with the egg yolk, lemon juice and salt.  Blend for 10 seconds on speed 10.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the dial set to speed 4, add the oil to the reservoir, with the MC in place, and allow the oil to seep slowly into the TM bowl (taking approximately 2 minutes to add all the oil).

The mixture should be the consistency of a thin mayonnaise.

Note: you can make this in a food processor if you want.

To plate up the Bouillabaisse, gently empty the parcels into a wide, soup type plate.  Top with additional lemon slices, dill springs and a dollop of rouille.

Mmmmmm was this dish good!!!!  A slice of freshly baked bread comes in oh so handy, to mop up all the lovely garlicky, seafoody liquid in the bottom of the plate!!!

This was a lovely, tasty, easy dish to make - if you are having a dinner party and want to impress, this is one to try!!!  Why wait for a reason though - this is a good simple dish to try anytime!!!

So tell me Dear Readers are you addicted to food porn too???  Come on, don't be shy tell us all about it!!!

Coconut Crusted Salmon with Passionfruit Mayonnaise

The summer fruit has all arrived in the fruit shops, but somehow the summer weather seems to have made a wrong turn somewhere en route to Sydney!

Monday, we were all rushing to find our shorts or the coolest of clothes, as we sweltered in unbearable heat.  The night that followed was no cooler, and we wrestled with the bed sheets trying to sleep in the oppressive heat.

The next day the air was filled with the smell of bushfires (thanks to backburning that had gone a little awry!!) and all of this makes you think that summer has finally arrived, and hot glorious days are here to stay - then

WHAMMO!

It's cold again!  Today I sit here rugged up in jeans and a sweater, and wonder what warm comforting food I can make for dinner tonight!  I tell you it's crazy!

This meal was from last weekend when the nights were balmy, and I was dreaming of summer!  Perhaps those nights will come again, and this is the perfect meal to serve then!!

It's a little left of centre - but in a really good way.  I wondered what the passionfruit mayonnaise would be like, and I must say I really liked it.  The quantity the recipe makes will leave you with some left over, and I am contemplating using it with some prawns and mango - in a some kind of salad.

The recipe says that it serves four - but I found that the coconut crust was enough to make a fairly substantial topping for two large tail pieces of salmon.  I will give you the recipe as it appears in the magazine, and let you make the judgement call on what size, or how many pieces of salmon to use.

Coconut Crusted Salmon with Passionfruit Mayonnaise
From Good Food Magazine, December issue - Recipe by Ross Dobson

Serves 4

1/4 cup (60ml) coconut cream
1/4 cup (35g) unsalted raw cashews, lightly roasted *
1 cup mint leaves
2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs fish sauce
700g salmon fillet, skin on **
lemon wedges to serve

Passionfruit Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks
1 tsp lemon juice ***
3/4 cup (185ml) light olive oil ****
3 tbs passionfruit pulp (approximately 2 large passionfruit)

Place the coconut cream, cashews, mint, lime juice and fish sauce in a food processor (or the Thermomix).  Process to a thick, smooth paste.

Place the salmon, skin side down, on a lined baking tray.  Rub the cashew mixture all over the salmon flesh, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To make the passionfruit mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Whisk in the oil a little at a time, until the mixture is combined and thick.  Stir in the passionfruit, and set aside.

Note:
Of course I made the mayonnaise in the thermomix - here is my version.  With the butterfly in place, add the egg yolks and lemon juice to the TM bowl.  Put on speed 4 and mix until the the egg yolks and juice are combined.  With the motor still running on speed 4, add the oil to the reservoir, making sure that it drips slowly.  Continued whisking until the mayonnaise is totally emulsified - this should take between 2 - 3 minutes.  It will make quite a thick consistency.  Add the passionfruit pulp to the mayonnaise, mix gently on speed 3 until combined.  Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside.  I really does need seasoning - the salt really picks up the passionfruit flavour!!

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (fan).  Roast the salmon for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and medium rare, or cooked to you liking. (You may need to place under the grill to crisp up the crust - but watch it carefully if you do!)  Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with vegetables or salad of choice, passionfruit mayonnaise, and lemon wedges.

My changes:
* oops - I forgot to toast the cashews - it was fine.  You could also just buy already roasted, unsalted cashews.

** I used 2 x tail pieces - you could also use 4 x smaller pieces of salmon.

***  I used lime juice as it was leftover, and I couldn't be bothered cutting a lemon for 1 teaspoon worth of juice!  Added a nice zing to the mayo!

**** I used light olive oil, but I think next time that I would actually prefer to use an even lighter flavoured oil, such as rice brain oil (which is what I usually use when making mayo).

This was a great summertime meal - and really quite easy if you are entertaining.  You can make the crust ahead of time, and place it on the salmon.  Make the mayo in advance and then just serve it with a lovely salad.  Your guests will be suitably impressed I am sure!