Corsica, traditional aziminu with coastal flavours
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I often cook the way I approach the table: with straightforwardness, little fuss, and the desire for flavour to tell an honest story. In LaBouffe, I am chiefly looking for a balance between spontaneity and simplicity, and Corsican aziminu suits me for that reason. It is a seafood soup born on the island, precise without being rigid, comforting without being heavy—the exact kind of recipe I can make after a full day, when I need to reconnect, find some calm, and enjoy the real pleasure of eating. I think of Bonifacio, its cliffs, or Bastia’s Old Port as it simmers: there, the sea gives a very clear idea of what this dish should be—generous yet straightforward. I use a fine monkfish, or a mix of rock fish—scorpionfish, gurnard, conger eel if I can find them—along with an onion, two cloves of garlic, a fennel bulb, two very ripe tomatoes, a small potato, dry white wine, olive oil, saffron, salt, pepper, and country bread for serving. I sauté the onion and fennel in olive oil, add the garlic and then the chopped tomatoes, let them cook down, pour in the white wine and a little water or fish stock, add the diced potato and saffron, then let it gently simmer. I then add the pieces of fish according to how well they hold together, starting with the firmest and then the more delicate ones, and let them cook gently, without rough handling. I serve this soup with toasted bread rubbed with garlic, and keep the broth piping hot, because that is where I find the Corsican cooking I love: simple, maritime, precise, rooted in reality, and lively enough to make you want to share the table.
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Where: Corse