Crisp-Skinned Red Mullet with Silky Bouillabaisse Emulsion & Rouille Toasts

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

All the sunshine of a Marseille harbour in three elegant elements: rust-red mullet fillets fried until the skin crackles, a saffron-and-fennel bouillabaisse broth blitzed into a glossy emulsion, and garlicky rouille on charred toast for dunking. A proper dinner-party stunner that's mostly done ahead.

Per serving: 620 kcal · 38.0g protein · 26.0g carbs · 40.0g fat

Ingredients

• 4 red mullet, filleted (8 fillets), pin-boned, skin on — keep the heads and bones
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, 4 crushed + 2 for rouille
• 2 strips orange peel
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 150ml dry white wine (Picpoul or similar)
• 1.2 litres water
• Large pinch saffron (about 0.4g)
• 1 tbsp Pernod or Noilly Prat (optional)
• 30g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 120ml mild olive oil (for rouille)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch cayenne
• 1 small cooked potato (about 50g), for rouille
• 4 thin slices sourdough or baguette
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Lemon, to finish

Method

1. Rinse the mullet heads and bones well under cold water to remove any blood. Chop roughly.
2. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the bones and heads over high heat for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and lightly coloured.
3. Add the fennel, onion, celery, leek and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Cook 8 minutes until softening. Stir in tomato purée, fennel seeds, star anise and orange peel; cook 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the wine, bubble down by half, then add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Skim any scum.
5. Crush everything roughly with a masher, then strain firmly through a sieve, pressing hard to extract every drop. Return the liquid to a clean pan and reduce to about 400ml. Add the saffron and Pernod, season, and set aside.
6. Rouille: blitz the cooked potato, 2 garlic cloves, egg yolk, mustard, smoked paprika and cayenne in a small processor. With the motor running, trickle in the 120ml olive oil until thick and glossy. Loosen with 1 tbsp of the warm broth, season and chill.
7. Toast the bread until lightly charred, rub with a garlic clove and spread generously with rouille just before serving.
8. Pat the mullet fillets very dry and season the skin. Heat a thin film of oil in a non-stick pan until shimmering. Lay the fillets in skin-side down, press flat with a fish slice for 20 seconds, then cook 2–3 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque three-quarters up. Flip for 20 seconds only, then rest on kitchen paper.
9. Bring the broth to a bare simmer, add the sherry vinegar, then whisk in the cold butter piece by piece. Blitz with a stick blender for 20 seconds until frothy and emulsified.
10. Pour the foaming emulsion into warm shallow bowls, sit two fillets skin-side up in each, scatter with fennel fronds and a squeeze of lemon, and serve with the rouille toasts alongside.