Creative Juices Rewarded at Festival : Competition: The recent Santa Barbara Bouillabaisse Festival gave chefs the chance to dish up their favorite versions of this classic dish.

“A bouillabaisse is not so much what you put into it but how you go about making it,” said James Sly, chef de cuisine of the El Encanto Hotel in Santa Barbara. Sly made his version so well that he won the classic division of the second annual Santa Barbara Bouillabaisse Festival held at the Brander Vineyard at Los Olivos.

This year’s contest, open to Santa Barbara and Central Coast restaurants, was divided into classic and open categories. The open division, which allowed the chefs unlimited creativity, attracted the most entries. Only four of the 18 competitors attempted to produce an authentic Mediterranean fish soup.

Sly, who has worked at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, said even veteran European chefs disagree on what makes a genuine bouillabaisse. His soup featured Santa Barbara-area snapper, halibut and mussels, Mexican sea bass and an assortment of organic herbs and vegetables. The dominant flavor was full-flavored extra virgin olive oil. Sly used the oil in the soup stock, the soup itself and in its accompaniments: slices of French bread fried in oil and rouille , a spicy “mayonnaise” to spread on the bread.

Controversy erupted over the cold, molded bouillabaisse entered by Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Waterside Inn. Classic division judges thought this soup-salad belonged in the open division, but Hutchings would have challenged that. “In some of the better houses in the south of France, they’ll do it (bouillabaisse) en gelee, so it’s not as radical as it sounds,” he said. Hutchings won a prize anyway, for presentation in the classic division. And on that hot day, his entry was unquestionably the most pleasant to eat.

Second place in the classic division went to the Epicurean, whose executive chef, Roger T. Maune, passed out sheets on the history of bouillabaisse. Third place went to Cafe au Lait for a soup that included angel shark, halibut, snapper and scallops.

Last year’s contest gave such free rein to creativity that the 1989 winner wasn’t even a bouillabaisse but a Mexican fish soup, caldo de mariscos. The caldo was entered by Cafe Vallarta, a Mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara. This year, Cafe Vallarta entered again--and won again. Chef Justo Gracia and his partner, Liliana Parra, titled the complicated dish caldo de pescadores (fisherman’s soup). The ingredients included pureed roasted plantains, Cajun seasoning, hot red chile sauce, mint and a long list of other herbs and seasonings. For seafood, they used calamari “fajitas,” octopus, thresher shark, red snapper, salmon and Pacific mussels.

Second place went to the Olde Port Inn at Avila Beach. Leonard Cohen, Olde Port owner-manager, entered a variation on cioppino that included char-broiled scallops and salmon. (Coincidentally, Cohen and C. Frederick Brander of the Brander Vineyard both initiated fish soup contests in 1989. Cohen introduced a “Cio-Pinot” cook-off and tasting--a judging of restaurant cioppinos followed by a tasting of Pinot Noirs. The second staging of this event is set for October 16 at the Olde Port Inn.)

Third place in the open competition went to Linny Largent-Mayer, executive chef of Remington restaurant at the Los Olivos Grand Hotel. Largent-Mayer flavored her robust soup liberally with garlic, fresh oregano, basil, thyme and chile flakes and topped it off with Italian parsley and Parmesan cheese. Garlicky pesto seasoned the accompanying slices of French bread.

The Wine Cask in Santa Barbara won the open category award for best presentation. Chef Tim Buckingham’s bouillabaisse was studded with black mussel shells and bordered with toast slices spread with brilliant yellow aioli , producing a sunburst effect. Lobster roe and chive blossoms were scattered over the top.

Other entries in the open division ranged from a Brazilian-style soup made with coconut milk, produced by Stephen’s restaurant, to one from Paul Bhalla’s Cuisine of India flavored with coriander, turmeric, cumin, ginger and garlic. Here are the recipes for the two first-place soups.

EL ENCANTO HOTEL’S BOUILLABAISSE

1 pound red snapper fillets

1 pound sea bass fillets

1 pound halibut fillets

40 mussels

1/4 cup olive oil

7 ounces fennel, julienned

7 ounces onion, julienned

6 ounces celery, julienned

6 ounces leek, julienned

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 bunch thyme

2 generous dashes saffron

Peel of 1/4 orange, dried and shredded

2 quarts Bouillabaisse Stock

1/2 russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup Sauvignon Blanc

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

16 slices French bread, fried in olive oil

Rouille

Cut red snapper, sea bass and halibut fillets into 1-ounce chunks. Clean mussels and remove “beard” from outside of shell. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add fennel, onion, celery and leek and saute until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add thyme, saffron and dried orange peel.

When vegetables are translucent, add Bouillabaisse Stock and simmer 20 minutes. Add potato and simmer until cooked.

Add Sauvignon Blanc and bring to simmer. Add mussels. Simmer 2 minutes. Add fish chunks and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until fish is just done and flakes when tested with fork. Mussels should be open at this point. Discard any unopened mussels.

Ladle bouillabaisse into large serving bowl or individual bowls. Top with chopped parsley. Accompany with fried bread slices and Rouille. Spread Rouille on bread or stir into broth as desired. Makes 8 servings.

Bouillabaisse Stock

2 pounds fish bones

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 pound sliced fennel

1/4 pound onions, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 ounce garlic, about 9 cloves, chopped

1/3 bunch thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon chopped basil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 quart chicken stock

1 quart water or shrimp stock

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Select fish bones from firm fleshed white fish such as halibut, sea bass and snapper. Do not use tuna or mackerel bones.

Heat large roasting pan. Add olive oil. When oil is smoking hot, add fish bones and lightly brown. Remove to large pot.

Add fennel, onions, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, basil and tomato paste. Add chicken stock, water and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Do not allow to burn on bottom. Strain. Makes 2 quarts.

Rouille

3 ounces russet potato, boiled

6 egg yolks

1 ounce garlic, about 9 cloves, crushed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Dash ground saffron or roasted saffron threads

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons hot water

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Force potato through sieve into bowl or food processor container. Add egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, salt and saffron.

Whisk or process lightly to combine. Gradually add olive oil in thin stream, whisking by hand or using processor. When oil is fully incorporated and emulsified, add water. Makes about 3 cups.

CAFE VALLARTA’S CALDO DE PESCADORES

(Fisherman’s Soup)

Olive oil

6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 onions, thinly sliced

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped

1/4 stalk celery, chopped

1 small serrano chile, chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill weed

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc

2 tablespoons almond tequila or Spanish brandy

Juice of 1 large lime

Salt

1/4 onion, finely chopped

14 ounces thresher shark, cut in 2-inch cubes

14 ounces king salmon steak, cut in 2-inch cubes

14 ounces red snapper fillets, cut in 2-inch cubes

Lemon pepper

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

10 ounces calamari steak, cut in strips

1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

Fish Stock

3/4 pound small whole red potatoes

2 small carrots, sliced

1/3 head cabbage, chopped

1/2 bulb fennel, chopped

1/2 small leek, white part only, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons Mexican saffron

1 1/4 teaspoons dried basil

3/4 teaspoon ground fennel

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, or to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons canned Mexican hot sauce or 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon rosemary

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Scant 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Scant 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

Dash ground cumin

Dash cumin seeds

Dash ground cloves

1 1/4 pounds medium clams

1 1/4 pounds black mussels

1 pound Prepared Octopus

Plantain Puree

French bread or corn tortillas

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet. Add 3 cloves garlic, sliced onions, tomatoes and red pepper and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add celery, serrano chile, cilantro, dill and mint and stir-fry 4 to 5 minutes. Add wine. Cover and simmer over medium heat 20 minutes, or until liquid evaporates. Add tequila, lime juice and season to taste with salt. Simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Remove mixture and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet. Add remaining 3 cloves garlic and chopped onion and cook until onion is tender but not browned. Add shark, salmon and snapper, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, black pepper and season to taste with salt. Stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove fish, retaining as much garlic and onion in pan as possible. Add calamari strips and whole shrimp and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from pan with garlic and onion and add to fish.

Bring Fish Stock to boil in large pot. Add sauteed vegetable-wine mixture, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, fennel, leek, fresh and dried parsley, Mexican saffron, basil, ground fennel, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, ground cumin, cumin seeds and cloves. Boil at medium high heat.

Add clams, mussels and Prepared Octopus. Stir well. Add Plantain Puree and stir until soup returns to boil. Add sauteed fish, calamari and shrimp. Stir until mixture returns to boil. Season to taste with salt. Simmer 15 to 30 minutes. Serve with French bread or corn tortillas. Makes 8 servings.

Fish Stock

1 gallon water

2 pounds halibut or red snapper fish heads and bones

Salt

Octopus stock from Prepared Octopus

Bring water to boil in large pot. Add fish heads and bones and boil 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Cool, then strain and refrigerate 24 hours. Next day, add stock drained from Prepared Octopus.

Prepared Octopus

1 quart water

1 pound trimmed octopus

1 small clove garlic

1 slice onion

Salt

Bring water to boil in saucepan. Add octopus, garlic, onion and season to taste with salt. Boil 1 1/2 hours.

Remove octopus and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Strain liquid and add to Fish Stock.

Plantain Puree

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large clove garlic, chopped

1/4 small onion, chopped

1/2 large plantain, cut in 2-inch chunks

1 cup Fish Stock

Heat olive oil in saucepan. Add garlic, onion and plantain and fry until lightly browned. Add Fish Stock and simmer 1 hour, or until plantain is very tender. Remove from heat and cool. Turn mixture into blender and puree.