Bouillabaise
SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS 30 minutes
18 (750g) mussels, cleaned 12 medium (540g) uncooked prawns, shelled, deveined, leaving tails intact 600g firm white skinless fish fillets, such as ling or blue-eye, chopped coarsely crusty bread, to serve SEAFOOD BASE 1 orange ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 500g white fish fillets, cut into large pieces 6 cloves garlic, sliced 1 medium (350g) leek (white part only), sliced 1 medium (120g) carrot, peeled, sliced thinly 1 trimmed stalk (100g) celery, sliced 1 medium (200g) fennel, chopped coarsely, fronds reserved for garnish 3 fresh bay leaves 1 tablespoon fennel seeds stalks from 1 bunch parsley, chopped coarsely 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 3 pinches saffron threads, or to taste ½ cup (125ml) Pernod 2 litres (8 cups) fish stock
1 SEAFOOD BASE: Remove rind from the orange with a vegetable peeler and cut into thin strips (or use a zester). Heat oil in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add fish pieces, garlic, leek, carrot, celery, fennel, bay leaves, fennel seeds, orange rind and parsley stalks. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes over medium heat or until starting to soften. Add tomato paste; cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, saffron, Pernod and fish stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat; simmer for 1 hour. Allow to cool a little, then blend fish mixture in batches in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender, being careful of the hot liquid. Strain blended fish mixture through a coarse sieve over a large bowl, squeezing to extract all the liquid; discard solids. 2 Pour strained Seafood Base into a large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until just boiling; reduce heat to a simmer. Add the prepared seafood and cook for 3 minutes or until mussels are open and the seafood is just cooked. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve with crusty bread.
Seafood Base suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.