—The Eurorail bullet train left Gare Du Nord on a sunny morning — ahead of me, a three-hour journey through spectacular French countryside. I made for the small bar on board the train, ordered a bottle of Sauterne, foi-grass and an assortment of cheeses and condiments before sitting down to enjoy the scenery. A shrunken man with a walking stick, wearing a beret above a tilled, sun burnt face sauntered in followed by a greying Labrador. He asked for an espresso and a glass of Pernod.

“Ah!” I remember thinking, “I have to try that sometime.” They settled a few tables away starring out the window as I did. Sleepy villages, wheat fields — glowing gold under moody skies and row upon row of vines — the France of Van Gogh, Monet and Charles Aznavour, sped by in a perverse modernist consumption of timeless beauty while the click-clack of the train on the track provided lively rhythm for the accordion in my head. I wondered if the old man felt as cheated as I was.

After a while the terrain changed dramatically, becoming mountainous and rugged. Our train snaked through valleys and more than a few tunnels, and through the open window, the air became cooler and sweeter. The Mediterranean, I sensed, was close.

I got into a taxi and handed the driver the address of my hotel. A small Olympic Marseille flag hung proudly from his rear-view mirror. Scenes from The French Connection and Luc Besson’s 1998 film, Taxi, played out in front of my eyes in glorious 3D. I had just arrived in the underbelly of France, Marseille, it’s second largest city. If Paris is the glamorous, cultural and financial capital, Marseille is its five o’clock shadow. Paris is chic, Marseille, shock. To the French, Marseille is the other mistress. The two cities look and feel so very different, but I knew at once they needed one another — each being the others yardstick.

As we sped along a winding, narrow, line-less road drawn between course lime stone cliffs, the driver excitedly announced sight of the big blue. He was of North African descent — Tunisian or Moroccan, but most likely… “Berber? Algerian?” I asked. “Yes, yes.” He confirmed, taking his eyes off the road. Moorish influences were everywhere. Fadi, the Taxi driver was eager to practice his tattered English, and warned me not to walk around alone at night. That’s something I had been told more than once. Marseille’s intricate and volatile gangland has made it perhaps Europe’s most dangerous city. It is regarded as an important port of entry for drug smugglers and human trafficking gangs amongst others.

Finally we arrived at the picturesque Old Port. Tired, newly painted fishing boats idled inside a small harbor sheltered on three sides by sand colored buildings with terracotta-tiled roofs. The place was alive — weathered fishermen peddled their catches to picky browsers. I made a mental note to return there. Imagine my surprise when I found that my hotel was right opposite the road from the market, and I couldn’t believe my luck when I opened the windows of my room and found the most extravagant view of the Old Port. A gentle breeze, salty and tinged with the smell of fresh fish, wafted through the opened bay window. Down below, a most magnificent glut of fish, most still alive, was on display for the voracious Marseillais discerning tastes.

Later, I strolled passed the tables laden with the fruits of the sea; my mind drifted to Kalkbay Harbor and I wondered why we are so starved of choice in South Africa. Are our fish stocks that dangerously depleted? Surely, I thought, with a coastline as long, rich and diverse as ours, there’s plenty to go around. The many peoples of the Mediterranean all have strong fishing cultures, and seem to live in harmony with the sea, and importantly each other. Today, we have a situation in South Africa, where fishing licenses are taken away and awarded seemingly with very little study.

That evening, I explored the Old Port area and had dinner at one of the many restaurants around the harbor. There is much on offer in the restaurants of Marseille, and my host urged me to try a costly Steak with Truffles. But my mind was set; and at €22.00 the Bouillabaisse’s complex Provencal flavors ghosted indelibly. At last I could savor France, or at least part of it, one slow spoon at a time.

Bouillabaisse is a dish steeped in history and the Marseillais ode to the Mediterranean. It is their grand contribution to French gastronomy and the world. At least three types of fish are used — originally the fishermen boiled the boney rockfish they couldn’t sell in a large cauldron. In about the seventeenth century tomatoes were added after they were introduced to Europe from the Americas. Over the years the simple Bouillabaisse has acquired finesse with the addition of expensive ingredients such as saffron, langoustines, lobsters, octopus and an array of shellfish. And with the French Diaspora, colonial influences furthered its universal appeal.

Fishing is a dangerous occupation, and more so around the Cape of Storms. It seems only right that one should treat the catches hauled to land with respect. It is becoming harder to find coastal species like Hottentots, Steentjies, Harders and our own red fish varieties like Red Stumpnose and Red Roman at supermarkets and fish vendors. I tried to gather a good selection of fish, but sadly, due to overfishing these varieties are now on the endangered list and no longer available for the table.

So, I guess my own version of this classic French dish will have to be made of a more modest array of indigenous fish and shellfish, fresh as if swimming of course. Bon Appétit!

Cape style Bouillabaise

I was very happy to hear that the good folk at Fish 4 Africa were more than happy to supply me with the fish and shellfish I wanted. A very accommodating and knowledgeable bunch they are too. It’s always nice to use a minimum of three varieties of fish and any shellfish and crustaceans. I chose the freshest Hake, Red Snapper and Angel Fish to go with the Mussels, Scallops, Prawns, Crayfish and Mozambican Crab. Feel free to use whatever you can find. Ask your fishmonger to fillet the fish and package the fish heads and bones separately.

Ingredients

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed with sea salt
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 8 strands saffron, soaked in 2 tablespoons orange juice for 10 minutes (optional)
• 1 strip orange zest
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, with juice
• Some or all of the following seafood:

Fish (filleted, skin on): Hake, Red Snapper, Angel Fish.

Shell Fish (cleaned): Mussels, Scallops.

Crustaceans (Deveined): Prawns, Crayfish and Mozambican Crab (legs only).

• 1 Bouquet Garni — Italian parsley, Rosemary, 2 bay leaves, dill and celery leaves.
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 tot (50ml) of Pernod Ricard

Preparation

1. Making the stock: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chopped celery, leeks, fennel and sauté until just brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the mashed garlic, fennel seeds and cayenne pepper and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the fish heads and bones to the pot. Pour in a cup of dry white wine, and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully pick the bones from the pot and discard. Pass the liquid through a strainer, pressing on the residue to release all the stock. Allow to cool, then pass the stock through cheesecloth to purify further.
4. Making the Bouillabaise: Add the saffron (if using), orange zest, chopped tomatoes and back to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the Crab legs followed 5 minutes later by the Crayfish and prawns. Cook for about 3 minutes.
6. Add mussels, and fish fillets. Cook for 4 minutes.
7. Finally add the Scallops, and stir in the Pernod Ricard. Simmer until the Crab, Crayfish and Prawns are bright orange, the mussels have all opened and the fish has poached all the way through but is still together. Discard any shells that have remained closed.
8. Serve from the pot, sprinkled with the parsley and topped with crusty bread.

Tips:

• Never boil the broth as it would get a bitter taste. Always bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.
• If you can get the body of the crab and crayfish heads, add them to the fish heads and bones when making the stock.
• Ask for your fish to be filleted with the skin on, as it keeps the meet from falling apart.
• If you can get Monkfish, add it first as it is a firm fish.
• To me, though optional, the orange zest and juice, saffron and Pernod are all absolutely essential to this dish.
• Serve with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, toasted Ciabatta slices rubbed with garlic and drizzled with Olive Oil.