Apparently is not that simple (if simple=quick and fast), but doable!

I'm currently missing my aunt who lived in France intermittently and would whip up the best bouillabaise in town, stayed for a long time in Australia, worked at United Nations in NY, art dealer and french interpreter on the side, a brilliant financial specialist who could be dabbling in online trading in France right now. ..bourse en ligne , calcul pret immobiliern and dassurance décès would have been a a breeze for her.

I said "COULD BE" or "WOULD HAVE"...

Because you see, she disappeared from our lives. We never heard from her again since 9/11. Yes...the World Trade 9/11. We are not completely sure if she was one of the casualties because her name was not in any roster of those who were unfortunately working at the World Trade Center during that tragic event. We made sure to scour every list and check every report but she wasn't there. It's like she disappeared from the face of the earth.

And thus, we don't have closure.

I sure hope she just suddenly realized she wanted to live a new life, changed her name, and settled back in France, where her heart had always been.

I hope so.

But through time, all these years, we've gotten over stressing and obsessing about monitoring every missing persons' list. How can you find someone in this big, big world? Instead, we now focus on every nice and happy memory we had with her. Hoping and praying that one day, she'll show up. Or something will show up to give us closure. Y'know...

Here's one happy memory I have with her... eating Bouillabaisse! She also made sure that I pronounced it properly!!!



Simplified Fish Bouillabaisse c/o La Tartine Gourmande You need:

• 8 large fresh scallops
• 8 large fresh shrimps
• 14 oz white fish (firm and softer such as monkfish and tilapia)
• 14 oz fresh salmon
• Squids and fresh mussels (optional)
• 10 fingerling potatoes, (I particularly like those ones because they are very tasty and firm)
• 10 saffron threads
• 4 roma tomatoes
• 1 cup chunks of celery root
• 1 sweet yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 1/4 cups fish stock
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• Fresh coriander
• Fresh flat parsley
• Fresh tarragon
• Fresh grated parmesan

For the rouille

• 1 garlic clove
• Olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp harissa
• 1 ts tomato paste
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven at 400 F.
• Slice the onion thinly.
• Chop the garlic thinly.
• Boil the tomatoes in order to peel them (1 mn). Once done, cut them in quarters and remove the seeds. Chop them thinly.
• Peel the cerely root and cut in big chunks.
• Wash the potatoes and cut them in big chunks.
• Heat up the fish broth until boiling point and reduce.
• In a separate bowl add warm water to the saffron and let it soak for about 30mns.
• In your braise pot, heat 1 large tblsp of olive oil. When hot, add the onion and garlic, and cook on low to medium heat until softer (about 4 mns).
• Add the tomatoes and cook for a few more mns before adding the celery and potato pieces. Cook for a few mns.
• Add the white wine and fish broth with the chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper and cover before placing in the oven for about 15 mns.
• After this time, start by adding the bigger pieces of the white and red fish. Cover again and place in the oven for about 15 mns.
• Take out again and now add the shrimps, (squids, mussels if you have them) and scallops. Place again in the oven for 5 more mns.
• In a food processor or by hand (which I prefer), place the chopped garlic, the egg yolk and mix well.
• Add then the tomato paste and harissa. Mix well.
  You will then progressively add the oil. Work quickly. When the rouille is thicker, it is ready (it can also keep a more liquidy appearance, depending on your liking)
• Toast a few pieces of nice bread.
• Grate the parmesan.
• Take large soup bowls in which you pour 1 or 2 large ladlefuls in each bowl.
• Spread rouille on the toasted bread and place in the soup (2 small pieces per person, or more if you need).
• Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, decorate with fresh flat parsley leaves and serve without waiting!