SICILIAN FISH SOUP
Quick, easy and deliciously impressive, the fresh briny taste of fish and shellfish are enhanced with a sweet acidic tomato broth and the fragrance of soft herbs. Serve with a crusty bread for relaxed family style feasting. Ask your fishmonger, or at the supermarket fish counter, to prepare your fish and shellfish.
Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
3 tbsp extra virgin oil
1 medium red onion
2 ribs celery (peeled)
1 x 400 g tin of plum tomatoes, chopped
500 g filleted fish (mixture of gurnard, sea bass, John Dory & red mullet)
1 small squid, cleaned and prepared
Handful each of mussels, clams & prawns
400 ml fish stock
175 ml glass dry white wine
Pinch of sugar
2 strips of orange peel
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets
A small handful of parsley stalks
1 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1 dried chilli, crumbled
To serve, mint, fennel fronds, parsley, chervil and the juice of half an orange
Method
Heat a casserole, add the olive oil. Soften the onions and celery, then add garlic, fennel seeds, anchovies and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the wine and chilli, bring to a boil followed by the stock, tomatoes, parsley, orange peel, seasoning and the sugar and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Taste for seasoning. Add your fish and shellfish and cover with a lid and simmer until shellfish was opened and the prawns have changed colour.
Scatter with mint and the juice of half an orange.
