La Chaudrée

‘Chaudrée’ means the portion of fish which could be packed in a ‘chaudière’ (cauldron) allotted to the captain and crew of a fishing boat. One of the great specialities of Charente, this fish chowder is as important there as bouillabaisse in Provence. Like bouillabaisse, it is a whole meal and there are many versions, from a simple soup of fish boiled in white wine with garlic, to this chaudrée from the port of Fouras which should contain plenty of butter and a variety of fish such as sole,