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Corsica
Born of the rockfish no market wanted, Aziminu simmers in Corsican ports as an island bouillabaisse — never codified, never quite the same from one shore to the next.
Traditional dish from Corsica.
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Aziminu — “Ù Ziminu” in the Corsican language — is said to have originated as a practical fishermen's stew, prepared from the catch that the market did not want: sea bream, mullet, scorpion fish, conger eel, moray eel, red mullet, turbot or lobster, whatever was left unsold when the boats returned. It is this humble origin, shared with many Mediterranean fish soups, that links Aziminu to its most famous cousin, the Marseille bouillabaisse.
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Unlike mainland bouillabaisse, Aziminu has never been codified: Corsicans like it rich, adding shellfish as well as crustaceans, and using only fresh produce straight from the water — so that the species vary from port to port. Even so, it retains a few fixed rules: a base of comber, annular sea bream, rainbow wrasse and other rockfish, the preparation of which requires every bone to be meticulously removed; no saffron in the benchmark version; and, when fresh fennel is lacking, a splash of pastis to replace it. The recipe featured in the Inventaire du patrimoine culinaire de la France devoted to Corsica, published in 1996, observes these general rules — though the OPT itself points out that this is merely one recipe among others.
Far from being confined to a single shore, Aziminu is recorded by the OPT as a speciality of at least five distinct Corsican terroirs, including Cap Corse and Deux-Sevi — the mark of a dish claimed by the whole of coastal Corsica, rather than a single micro-region.
Appearance
A base of rockfish and crustaceans, simmered then passed through a food mill until it becomes “a refined, boneless base”; once cooked, the garnish fish are presented on a separate plate, whilst the broth is served first.
Aroma
Lifted by fennel or, failing that, an aniseed note of pastis; sometimes fragrant with saffron in modern versions.
Taste
A savoury broth, seasoned with Corsican olive oil.
Texture
The garnish fish must not be completely cooked through, but remain firm and juicy — each species is removed from the broth as soon as it is cooked, more or less quickly.
The benchmark recipe, without saffron, is adapted into richer versions depending on the cook and the port: some add Corsican saffron, white wine and langoustines, others octopus and orange zest, or even spiny lobster for the most lavish tables.
scale, gut and wash all the fish; set aside the small rockfish that will form the base.
pass everything through a food mill to obtain a refined, boneless base, then add more water and season.
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Aziminu is served as a starter or main course, accompanied by toasted bread rubbed with garlic — and, for those who enjoy it, a rouille. Depending on the version, the broth and fish are served together in the bowl or in two stages, with the fish served separately. For pairings, a Corsican white or rosé is a natural choice, such as the Patrimonio suggested to accompany this seafood dish.
Aziminu bears no official quality mark (PDO (AOP), PGI (IGP), Label Rouge): it is a fishermen's recipe passed down by word of mouth, with ingredients varying from port to port, and with no known move towards protected status to date.
No producer is listed for this product yet.