Authentic Rouille Recipe Provence, France

This spicy sauce is made using a mortar and pestle and is typically thickened with bread or breadcrumbs. Known as rouïo in Provençal (lit. “rust”), it gets its ruddy color and most of its flavor from garlic and saffron. Traditional rouille uses olive oil as a base, although most modern versions of the sauce use mayonnaise instead. Some rouille varieties are also made with fish liver, boiled potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. This sauce serves as the perfect, traditional finishing touch for bouillabaisse and other classic French seafood soups and dishes.