Denise says:
This recipe I tend to classify as one of those ‘forbidden foods’ because unless you make it yourself it tends not to be kosher. Here I have made it with fillets of bream, haddock, gurnard and seabass. It is a recipe of love as it does require a long list of ingredients, time to make but worth the effort for a starter to impress. It is packed with nutrition and certainly brings a very authentic flavour of the Med to the dining table! You will need to ask your fishmonger in advance for the fish bones and fish trimmings from white fish ~ not oily ones. The supermarkets will not provide this service!
It is served with a garlic mayonnaise called rouille which I like to enhance with some saffron strands for a slightly golden colour. Traditionally it is accompanied with slices of French bread topped with Gruyere cheese. Use strong cheddar if this is not available.
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8 -10 people
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil3 large onions – peeled and finely chopped
3 leeks – trimmed and sliced
1 fennel bulb – trimmed and chopped
3 sticks celery – chopped
2 bay leaves
Large bunch fresh thyme
250ml white wine
4 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped
500g fresh salad tomatoes – peeled and chopped
6 saffron strands
2 teaspoons tomato puree
8 peppercorns
2 kg fish trimmings and bones including heads – washed
2 ½ litres water
450g skinned fish fillets such as bream, haddock, gurnard, seabass or cod
Sea salt – to taste
8 tablespoons Grated Gruyere cheese
1 baguette –sliced and toasted
Rouille
3 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped
2 egg yolks
150ml light olive oil / vegetable oil
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 strands saffron – mixed 1 teaspoon boiling water
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt ~ to taste
Method
1) Heat the olive oil in a very large heavy saucepan. Add the onion, leek, fennel and celery. Cook over a low heat until the vegetables are soft but not brown.2) Add the garlic, tomatoes, saffron, tomato puree, wine, bay leaves, peppercorns and fish trimmings. Cover with water and bring to the boil.
3) Add a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
4) For the rouille, put the garlic, tomato puree, lemon juice, saffron, salt and egg yolks in a liquidiser and pulse until you have a thick emulsion. Gradually add the oil and the mixture should thicken. Stir in the cayenne. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly. Set aside.
5) Strain the liquid, a cup at a time through a large sieve pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
6) Cut the fish fillets into 3 cm chunks and add to the strained soup.
7) Re heat the soup just to boiling and cook for a further 5 minutes.
8) In a liquidiser puree the soup until smooth.
9) Taste and reheat over a low heat until hot.
10) Spread toast with some rouille and sprinkle with some cheese.
To serve the stylish way: Garnish with sprigs of thyme and serve immediately