Mediterranean Style Fish Soup

Ingredients - serves 8 - 10 people

5 tablespoons of olive oil
1½ tablespoons of butter
6 garlic cloves
3 oz each of diced fennel, carrots, onions, leeks and celery
150ml pint white wine
150ml pint red wine
50ml brandy
225ml tinned Italian tomatoes
200ml passata
1 tablespoon each of tarragon, basil, thyme and parsley
2 bay leaves
900g of mixed fish cut into pieces
2ltrs of water
1 teaspoon of ground saffron/optional
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Method

Heat the olive oil and clarified butter in a large pan. Fry the garlic and diced vegetables until golden then add the mixed fish and the red and white wine. Cook for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate then add the tomatoes, tomato puree and mixed herbs. Cook for 5 minutes then add the water and simmer for 1 hour. Liquidize the soup in batches and pass through a sieve squeezing out all the liquid, re-heat the soup add brandy and season to taste. Serve with aioli.

Chefs Notes
This recipe may be made very economically if you buy fish trimmings or save and freeze fish trimmings when using fish for other purposes.

Aïoli Mayonnaise – this will make 350ml – enough for 8 – 10 people

2 eggs yolks
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard or pinch of English mustard
1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar
2 cloves of crushed garlic
250ml olive oil

Method

Put the egg yolks into a processor and the mustard, salt, garlic and the white wine vinegar. Put the oil into a measure and slowly drizzle the oil into the processor until thick.