Provençal seafood soup

Try this hearty French favourite full of fresh seafood.

What you will need

• 2 pinches of saffron threads
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 11/2 cups (375ml) dry white wine
• 1 tbs chopped thyme
• 1.2 kg very ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups (500ml) fi sh stock
• 2 4 (about 600g) black mussels,
• scrubbed, bearded
• 24 (about 600g) medium green king prawns,
• peeled leaving tails intact, deveined
• 6 00g fi rm white fi sh fi llet (such as ling),
• cut into 3cm pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fl at-leaf parsley
• Store-bought aïoli, to serve
• Sourdough or ciabatta bread, to serve

Step-by-step

1.

Soak saffron in 1 tbs very hot water for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the leek, fennel and garlic and cook, stirring, for 7-8 minutes or until leek is soft. Add the thyme and 1 cup (250 ml) of the wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
2.

Add the tomatoes, fish stock and saffron water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until tomatoes have broken down. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
3.

Heat remaining wine in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Add the mussels and cook, covered, for 2-3 minutes or until mussels have just opened. Strain mussels into a colander over a large bowl to reserve the cooking liquid. Discard any unopened mussels. Strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve to remove any grit.
4.

Add reserved mussel liquid, prawns and fish to the tomato mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until prawns and fi sh are just cooked. Add mussels to heat through.
5.

Ladle soup among bowls. Sprinkle with parsley; dollop with aïoli. Serve with slices of char-grilled sourdough.



Serve Provençal seafood soup with a dollop of aïoli and slices of char-grilled sourdough.


Source:

http://www.homelife.com.au/recipe/provencal+seafood+soup,32453