If you haven’t decided what to serve for dinner yet, allow me to help. This simple recipe for a fabulous French soupe de poisson is all you will need this evening. That, and a trip to the baker for a good baguette. Serve this aromatic soup with a crisp, vibrant Sauvignon Blanc.
Soupe de Poisson
Serves 6
- 2 tbsps mild olive oil
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of pink garlic, finely chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
- small bunch of thyme, leaves picked
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 800ml good quality fish stock
- 2 tbsps cognac
- pinch of saffron
- 700g seafood of choice (I used a mix of prawns, scallops, mussels and cod)
- pinch of fleur de sel
- freshly-ground pepper
- 4 tbsps cream
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onions, garlic, fennel, thyme and bay leaves. Cook on a gentle heat for approximately 10 minutes. Turn up the heat a bit and add the tomatoes and their juices. Also add the cognac. Let this cook for a minute or two before adding the rest of the ingredients, with the exception of the cream. Allow the soup to come to the boil, immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, remove the bay leaf, add the cream and blitz the soup, making sure it’s not too thin. Serve with a swirl of cream.