Problem with rouille

[Nan]

I haven't made bouillabaisse in awhile, and I don't know what recipe I used to use, but for some reason I cannot seem to get the rouille to emulsify. I spent my entire DAY attempting every receipe I could locate and finally threw out the whole mess and made a cioppino instead. I just don't remember having trouble in the past with this. I'd hate to resort to using commercial mayonnaise, but bouillabaisse just isn't right without rouille and I wouldn't dignify the slop I produced by serving it to my cat (who will eat anything)!

Anyone have a good receipt for rouille, or some tips?

[cape chef]

Are you using potato?

[miahoyhoy]

Potato eh?
I've always used bread crumbs.
Cool!

[Pete]

Most of the recipes I find use bread, though I was taught to make rouille using potato. We would cook potato, garlic, and jalapeno (as opposed to the cayenne in more traditional recipes) along with saffron and just enough water. We cooked this until the potatoes were falling apart and almost all the water was evaporated. We then let this cool, added a little egg yolk and a splash of vinegar, blended and then slowly whisked in a mix of olive oil and canola oil. I used to eat gallons of this spread on garlic toast points. The rouille, together with the toast points were used to garnish our signature Rockfish Soup, an American take on the classic bouillabaisse.

[Nan]

Yes, I was using bread crumbs, but I will try the potato strategy. Thanks!

[Pete]

Nan, in your last post you said you used bread crumbs. Is that correct? If so then that is probably your problem. The recipes I have seen, that use bread, use fresh bread, usually with the crusts removed. If you are using bread crumbs it you might not get the mixture to emulisify properly.