Bouillabaisse

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS

12 (500g) mussels, cleaned

12 medium (540g) large uncooked prawns, shelled, deveined, leaving tails intact

600g firm white skinless fish fillets, such as ling or blue eye, chopped coarsely crusty bread, for serving

SEAFOOD FLAVOUR 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, 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

1.5 litres (6 cups) fish stock

1 SEAFOOD FLAVOUR BASE Remove rind from 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 seed, orange rind and parsley stalks and cook, stirring, for a few minutes over medium heat, or until starting to soften. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, saffron, Pernod and fish stock, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Allow to cool a little, then blend the 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 liquid into a large clean saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, until just boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer, add prepared seafood and cook for about 3 minutes or until mussels are open and seafood is just cooked. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish soup with fennel fronds and serve with crusty bread.

Seafood flavour base suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.