This recipe is a favourite with Jean Yip’s family.

Jean Yip is a modern-day wonder woman. Not only does she run the award-winning Jean Yip Group (hairdressing, beauty and property development), she’s also a loving wife and mother, as well as a mean cook in the kitchen.

“I’m a passionate and creative cook! I believe that there should be depth and balance in the taste of a dish,” Jean says. “I take great pride in defining the individual and complementary flavours that will be blended together.”

She continues: “I also explore and read from a wide variety of books and learn from many chefs. My favourite recipes are mainly those from my family and about my heritage.”

How did you learn to cook?
I learned from my grandmother, my parents and my father-in-law, veteran Peranakan chef Jolly Wee. Even when I’m travelling, I take every opportunity to learn. When I was in Sicily, we dined in a local restaurant and the chef saw how passionate I was about food so he invited me into the kitchen and gave me great tips about Italian cooking. I believe that every chef has their unique culinary techniques, and I really enjoy learning from them. After which, I will then modify and experiment with the techniques such as applying them to different cuisines.

Tell us more about the lobster seafood bouillabaisse.
I chose this dish because my family loves seafood. Secondly, I’m very passionate about food, and in the year 2000, we started an Italian Restaurant, Pranzo, and one of our signature dishes was this Italian seafood, which was and still is also my family’s favourite dish. I’ve learnt how to perfect it for my family and friends and that’s why it’s special to me. This dish is both good as a meal on its own with dipping bread, or it can be eaten together with pasta dishes. The flavours of the ocean complement the tanginess of the tomatoes and aromatic herbs. It’s a great dish to serve, whether for two people or for a party of 20! The ingredients are readily available and can be tailored to the freshest catch of the day. The best part? It takes less than two hours from prep to table.

Here’s the recipe for Jean’s lobster seafood bouillabaisse:

Main seafood ingredients (serves 4)
2 lobsters, 400g each
2 crabs
500g king prawns
250g squids
250g scallops
1 chicken/fish stock
1 cup white wine
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
5cm orange rind
¼ teaspoon saffron

Stock
6 prawn heads, pan-fried
1 litre water
1 cup white wine
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
5cm orange rind
¼ teaspoon saffron

Bouillabaisse
¼ cup olive oil
2 red onions
4 cloves of garlics
6 tomatoes, skinned
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 carrot, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1½ capsicums (three colours)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dry basil
2 sprigs of fresh dill and thyme
5cm orange rind
50 gm butter
¼ cup brandy
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup parsley

Directions

1. Remove meat from lobster. Place lobster heads and shells, prawn shells and crabs into 1-litre of boiling water. Add onions, white wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lobsters, crabs and prawns. Set aside pot of water for stock

2. Heat olive oil, add red onions, garlic, leek and sauté until fragrant. Add carrots and capsicums. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes and stir until it’s soft but not browned.

3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, basil, dill, thyme and 50g of butter, orange rind, saffron, salt and pepper

4. Drizzle fish sauce and brandy. Stir well

5. Remove lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove mixed vegetables and blend

6. Add the blended vegetables into the stock and bring to boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

7. Reduce heat then add in crab meat and lobster meat (cut into smaller pieces). Cover and simmer for four to five minutes

8. Add in seafood of your choice (remove rind of orange and spices)

9. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped parsley

10. Grilled seafood and roasted garlic bread to be placed separately on a serving board. Serve

Main image: Jean Yip and husband Mervin Wee (Image: Jean Yip)