📍 Where this dish comes from: Marseille · Old Port (Vieux-Port)
Discover the history of this region →
Discover the history of this region →
A rustic, intensely flavored Provençal fish soup built on small rockfish, fennel, saffron, and a generous hand of olive oil — the kind you find at seaside tables in Marseille, served with rouille and Gruyère. Unlike bouillabaisse, this is blended to a vibrant terracotta purée, all the fish becoming the broth itself.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 310kcal
Ingredients
- 1 kg mixed small fish (rockfish, gurnard, weever)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 fennel bulb diced
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 orange zest strip
- Large pinch saffron
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 1.5 L water or light fish stock
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Bouquet garni
- Cayenne, salt, pepper
- Rouille and grated Gruyère to serve
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large pot. Brown whole fish on both sides in batches. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onion, fennel, and garlic 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, cook 3 minutes.
- Return fish to pot. Add tomatoes, wine, water, saffron, orange zest, fennel seeds, and bouquet garni.
- Bring to boil, then simmer vigorously 30 minutes, breaking up fish as it cooks.
- Remove bouquet garni and orange zest. Blend soup in batches.
- Pass through a fine food mill or coarse sieve — press hard to extract maximum flavor. Discard bones.
- Reheat and adjust seasoning with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Serve with rouille and grated Gruyère.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 310kcal | Protein: 26g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 2g
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Health Benefits
- Rockfish and gurnard are rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, important for brain and heart health.
- Fennel provides anethole, a compound studied for its anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.
- Saffron’s crocin has been studied for its potential effects on cognitive function and memory.