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Episode 10

The Brits and French share a passion for poisson. Marcus wants to discover which fish they celebrate in Provence, and if they have a dish to rival the great British fish and chips.

It is fair to say that when it comes to their national classic dishes, the French and Brits like to do things differently. But they all have a passion for poisson. Forty-five per cent of French households eat fish at least once a week, and Marcus wants to find out what kind of fish they like and if there’s a dish here to rival the great British fish and chips.

First, Marcus needs to know what kind of seafood is available, so he visits Carro, one of the last coastal villages in Provence, where local fishermen still bring in their daily catch to sell directly to customers on the quayside. This is where he discovers an abundance of local fish and seafood.

He visits a local chef who puts a spin on what might be the closest Marcus will get to fish and chips in Provence - moules frites. But the sauce for these mussels is a rich tomato and pork ragu, and the chips are not made with potatoes. It is delicious, but certainly not a classic. So, Marcus decides to make a super simple version of Provence’s most well-known fish dish, bouillabaisse.

Offering plenty of culinary cheats while keeping plenty of flavour, Marcus makes a delicious dish served with his roasted garlic aioli, which he’s been invited to bring along to an aioli festival in the town. In Provence, they like their aioli very strong with lots of raw garlic, so how will Marcus’s milder version go down?

9 months left to watch

28 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Marcus Wareing
Series Producer Bridget Gregory
Director Duncan Thompson
Executive Producer Karen Plumb
Production Manager Rebecca Viale
Production Company Plimsoll Productions

Broadcast