Fish Stew with Rouille Recipe (Ready in 150 Min)

Prawns, dry white wine and fennel come together in this French seafood — 150 minutes, 26 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 26 steps.

You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At involved difficulty across 26 steps, it's worth setting aside proper time for. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.

How to make it

Twist the heads from the prawns, then peel away the legs and shells, but leave the tails intact.
Devein each prawn.
Fry the shells in 1 tbsp oil for 5 mins, until dark pink and golden in patches.
Add the wine, boil down by two thirds, then pour in the stock.
Strain into a jug, discarding the shells.
Heat the rest of the oil in a deep frying pan or casserole.
Add the fennel, onion and garlic, season, then cover and gently cook for 10 mins until softened.
Meanwhile, peel the potato and cut into 2cm-ish chunks.
Put into a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins until almost tender.
Drain in a colander.
Peel a strip of zest from the orange. Put the zest, star anise, bay and ½ tsp harissa into the pan. Fry gently, uncovered, for 5-10 mins, until the vegetables are soft, sweet and golden.
Stir in the tomato purée, cook for 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and stock.
Simmer for 10 mins until the sauce thickens slightly.
Season to taste.
The sauce can be made ahead, then reheated later in the day.
Meantime, scrub the mussels or clams and pull away any stringy beards.
Any that are open should be tapped sharply on the worktop – if they don’t close after a few seconds, discard them.
Reheat the sauce if necessary, then stir the potato, chunks of fish and prawns very gently into the stew.
Bring back to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 3 mins.
Scatter the mussels or clams over the stew, then cover and cook for 2 mins more or until the shells have opened wide.
Discard any that remain closed.
The chunks of fish should flake easily and the prawns should be pink through.
Scatter with the thyme leaves.
To make the quick rouille, stir the rest of the harissa through the mayonnaise.
Serve the stew in bowls, topped with spoonfuls of rouille, which will melt into the sauce and enrich it.
Have some good bread ready, as you’ll definitely want to mop up the juices.

You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan · Deep fryer / pot

Tips & common questions

How long does Fish Stew with Rouille take to make?

About 150 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 26 steps and 18 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of white wine?

Try chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tsp vinegar. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

How should I store leftovers?

Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.