Fish soup (romescada)

SERVES 8

300g clams 1 glass white wine 2 litres fish stock 2tbsp olive oil 600g John Dory, or other white fish fillets, cut into pieces 600g rockfish, perch or red fish fillets, cut into pieces 600g scampi or crayfish bowlful romesco sauce (see recipe, p122)

For the sofregit

60ml olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 large green chilli, seeded and chopped 200g ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

Place the clams in a saucepan and pour over the wine. Put the lid on and set over high heat. Cook for around 5 minutes until the shells open, then remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the sofregit, pour the olive oil into a deep-sided saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring often, for around 8 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for 2 minutes more, stirring regularly. Add the tomatoes and mix thoroughly, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the fish stock to the sofregit, along with the cooking liquid from the clams and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, 2tbsp olive oil into a non-stick frying pan and set over a medium heat.

In batches, sear the fish fillets and the scampi or crayfish for around 2 minutes on each side, then set aside.

Stir 2tbsp romesco sauce into the simmering stock mixture. After 1 minute, add the scampi and the seared fish fillets and after 1 more minute more add the clams in their shells. Simmer for 5 minutes more over a medium heat. Season with salt if needed, then serve with crusty bread for dipping, with the remaining romesco in a bowl on the side.