SAFFRON FISH TEA

THIS is an elegant soup that would not be out of place in any fine-dining restaurant. The original idea came from an excellent chef and old friend, Duncan Doherty, and it was part of a seven-course meal we did together for some chef friends and one of the country’s top food publications. Serves six.

INGREDIENTS

2 crayfish tails (keep shells for stock) 10 prawns (keep shells for stock) 200g yellowtail 200g smoked trout 50g trout or salmon roe 10 cherry tomatoes 1 bulb fennel 10g fennel or dill tops 1.2 litres fish stock

STOCK

1 onion 2 leeks 2 sticks celery 750ml dry white wine 250ml medium cream sherry 1 bulb garlic 1 bay leaf 2 litres water 3kg fish bones (preferably a mix of regular and smoked trout bones or offcuts) Prawn and crayfish shells 1g saffron threads

METHOD

Make the fish stock (“tea”) first. Thinly slice all the deveined and peeled seafood and raw fish, then divide it between six soup bowls, also adding the roe.

Add thinly sliced cherry tomatoes, finely diced fennel and picked herb tops.

Bring the stock (the “tea”) up to the boil and put it in a teapot.

Pour the tea into the bowls at the table. The heat of the tea will be sufficient to cook the raw fish.

FISH STOCK

Roughly chop the onion, leeks and celery.

Put the alcohol, vegetables, aromatics (except the saffron) and water into a large stainless-steel pot and bring to the boil.

Add the fish bones, smoked fish offcuts as well as the prawn and crayfish shells.

Turn down to a simmer and leave to gently bubble for one hour.

Remove from the heat and strain through a muslin cloth or tea towel to remove all the particles.

Once strained, put the saffron in and let it all infuse for at least an hour.

Soup is always difficult to pair with wine, and this is quite a clean and flavoursome offering.

Something fragrant, such as the Vergelegen Reserve Semillon, would be ideal.

Or something quite different, such as the very dry and austere Monis Fino Sherry.