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Cotriade (Kaoteriad in Breton/Brittany Fish Stew in the UK) is a fish stew speciality from the French province of Brittany that is made with different kinds of fish, as well as potatoes, onion and garlic. Oily fish such as herring, sprats and mackerel are typical and, unlike bouillabaisse Cotriade does not typically contain shellfish. It is traditionally served by pouring it over toasted baguette.
Prep time 15 minutes/Cook time 35 minutes/Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1.5kg (3lb) of conger eel, cut into 3cm (1 in) thick steaks
500g (1lb) bass, gutted, washed and cut into 7.5cm (3 in) chunks
1.5kg (3lb) of wrasse, gutted, washed and cut into 3 steaks each
500g (1lb) mackerel, gutted, washed and cut into 3 pieces each
500g (1lb) whiting, gutted, washed and cut into 3 pieces each
500g (1lb) sardines, gutted and washed
200g (7oz) butter
2 large onions, chopped
1 large onion, studded with 3 cloves
2kg (4 1/2 lbs) potatoes, peeled
1 bouquet garni (thyme, bayleaf, parsley, lovage or celery leaf)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
sliced baguette (French bread), lightly toasted, to serve
Method:
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and when foaming use to fry the chopped onions for about 5 minutes until soft. Now add the whole onion, potatoes, bouquet garni and conger steaks. Fry briefly then add 3l (12 cups)water and season generally with salt and black pepper. Bring everything to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
At this point add the bass, wrasse and mackerel and cook for a further 5 minutes. Finally add the whiting and sardines and cook for another 5 minutes. Now remove all the fish and potatoes from the pan (set these aside to keep warm) except for 3 potatoes. Discard the bouquet garni but save pour the liquid through a sieve (catch the bouillon in a large bowl and return to the pot).
Transfer the contents of the sieve to a large mortar and pound everything together to make a paste. Scrape this back into the bouillon (it will act as a thickener). Bring to a boil and cook until thickened to your liking.
To serve, place a slice of baguette in the base of 6-8 bowls and spoon over the fish and potatoes followed by the thickened bouillon.
