If you ever had the privilege of going to Le Miramar in Marseille (France) for their Bouillabaisse, then you know that this soup is the ultimate fish soup. I adore this soup and thought it would be a wonderful way to introduce fish and shellfish to my little one. Now I know that Pediatricians and pretty much every website on the Internet says shellfish is a big no-no for infants under one. If you do not want to give your baby shellfish, then just omit them.
This recipe is really for the broth and it’s a very very simplified version of a bouillabaisse. Let’s just say that the bouillabaisse was the inspiration. What you add to it is up to you thereafter. I started with the broth and a beautiful piece of Grey Sole. I pureed the fish, broth and mashed potatoes. It was delicious. My baby just gobbled it up. A week later I made the same thing (as I froze some of the broth) and added shrimp. He loved it. So be creative with this delightful broth.
Poisson Provençal:
1 peeled and chopped garlic clove
1 peeled and chopped onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cleaned and chopped celery
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
1 can organic stewed whole tomatoes (you can use fresh tomatoes, if so you will need at least 4 large tomatoes)
4 cups fish broth or vegetable broth
3-5 fresh basil leaves lightly shredded
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (available at your grocery store in the herb section)
salt
If you want to add and individual serving of fish for your baby, you will need 1/2 of a small fillet of Grey Sole (or whatever fish you’d like). Whatever fish you add, make sure it’s no larger than the palm of your baby’s hand.
In a large sauce pan under medium flame, heat oil. Add onions, celery and carrots. Stir until veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Go ahead and add your tomatoes and broth. Stir soup to incorporate all ingredients. Add Herbes de Provence and stir again. Place lid on the sauce pan slightly ajar and reduce heat to low. Let soup cook for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Once done, add basil and salt for taste (do not add too much as this is going to be consumed by your baby).
Let soup cool to room temperature. Pour soup in your blender and liquify until completely smooth. Place 1 cup or a bit less in a small sauce pan along with your fish of choice. Cook soup on low-medium until fish is cooked. Pass soup and fish to blender and puree until smooth. Serve as a thick soup or mix it with rice, mashed potatoes or mashed celery root.