Bouillabaisse de Légumes Vegan

Combine the saffron threads with 3 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl and set aside to bloom for at least 10 minutes. Halve, core, and thinly slice the fennel; thinly slice the onion; slice the leek; thinly slice 4 garlic cloves; halve the potatoes; cut the courgettes; halve the cherry tomatoes; trim and halve the green beans; drain the chickpeas.

Make the rouille: steep the saffron for the rouille in 1 tablespoon warm water for 10 minutes. Combine the roasted red pepper, 2 whole garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and saffron-infused water in a small blender. Blend until smooth, then with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until thick and emulsified. Season with salt, transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced fennel, onion, and leek with a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until deeply softened, sweet, and beginning to turn golden at the edges.

Add the sliced garlic, tomato paste, fennel seeds, and smoked paprika to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic is fragrant.

Pour in the pastis and stir vigorously, scraping up any caramelised bits from the bottom of the pot, for 1 minute until the alcohol aroma subsides.

Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, vegetable stock, bloomed saffron with its water, orange zest strip, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, raise heat to high, and bring to a vigorous boil.

Add the halved potatoes to the boiling broth. Reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook for 12 minutes until the potatoes are just beginning to yield when pierced with a knife tip but are not yet fully tender.

Add the courgettes and green beans. Simmer for a further 6 minutes until all vegetables are completely tender but still holding their shape.

Stir in the chickpeas and halved cherry tomatoes. Simmer for 3 minutes until the chickpeas are heated through and the cherry tomatoes have just begun to soften and bleed into the broth. Discard the orange zest strip, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

While the soup finishes, brush the baguette slices with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and toast under a hot grill (broiler) for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.

Ladle the bouillabaisse into four deep, wide bowls. Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil, scatter reserved fennel fronds over the top, and float two toasted baguette slices in each bowl. Serve immediately with the rouille alongside — instruct guests to smear rouille onto the croûtons and let them sink into the broth.